Several additional vehicles are also seen below a ridge and are parked along the path that was built to access the nuclear site, according to Maxar.
New satellite imagery has revealed Iran is actively working to recover from recent US airstrikes on its Fordow nuclear facility.
Captured by Maxar Technologies, the images taken Sunday show continuous activity at and around the damaged underground site.
Heavy Machinery Seen at Impact Zones
The satellite photos show an excavator and several personnel gathered near the northern ventilation shaft. This shaft is located on a ridge above the underground Fordow fuel enrichment complex. A crane is also spotted operating at the shaft’s entrance, signaling repair or assessment activity.
Vehicles and support equipment are parked along a newly constructed path leading to the damaged site, indicating a well-coordinated response. The machinery appears to be working on stabilizing or investigating the damage caused by recent US strikes.
Precision US Airstrikes Hit Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan
Earlier in the month, US B-2 bombers dropped over a dozen bunker-buster bombs on key Iranian nuclear locations, including the Fordow and Natanz sites. Simultaneously, Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from a submarine struck the Isfahan facility in central Iran.
The strikes were part of a targeted mission involving Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs). According to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine, the mission aimed to hit Fordow’s two ventilation shafts. These bombs were designed to penetrate the underground complex at high velocity and detonate deep inside.
Caine explained during a Pentagon briefing that most of the bombs were engineered to enter through the main ventilation shaft, travel at speeds exceeding 1,000 feet per second, and explode within the nuclear mission space.
Iran Begins Damage Assessment and Repairs
David Albright, a former nuclear inspector and current president of the Institute for Science and International Security, analyzed the recent imagery. He stated the Iranians appear to be addressing the MOP impact zones at Fordow.
Albright suggested the activities include backfilling bomb craters, evaluating structural damage, and conducting radiological checks. He also noted that although the main road to the site has been rapidly repaired, the tunnels remain sealed, with no current signs of efforts to reopen them.
“The craters above the main shafts remain exposed,” Albright said, adding that Iran’s swift road repairs indicate urgency in maintaining site access.
IAEA Head Says Iran Could Resume Enrichment Soon
Despite the US claims of success, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), offered a more cautious view. On Sunday, he said the airstrikes did not fully dismantle Iran’s nuclear program.
Grossi warned that Iran could resume uranium enrichment within months, contradicting former President Donald Trump’s claim that the US had “completely and totally obliterated” Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
This aligns with an earlier assessment by the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency. That report, first disclosed by CNN, said the airstrikes likely caused only temporary disruption—potentially setting Iran back just a few months, not decades.
Final Intelligence Review Still Pending
Although field and satellite data show visible damage and ongoing repairs, a final military and intelligence assessment of the strike’s effectiveness is still underway.
Meanwhile, Washington’s public statements portray a decisive blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. However, on-the-ground activity and international analysis suggest the program remains intact and resilient.
Conclusion
The latest satellite imagery highlights Iran's rapid response to the airstrikes, reflecting both capability and determination.
While the US mission inflicted significant damage, experts warn it was not enough to eliminate Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. With repairs underway and uranium enrichment potentially resuming within months, the long-term impact of the strikes remains uncertain.
