Ground Activity at Fordow: Is Iran Reorganizing Its Nuclear Site?

3rd July 2025

2 minutes read

Ground Activity at Fordow: Is Iran Reorganizing Its Nuclear Site?

Recent satellite imagery has revealed ongoing activity at Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, despite the U.S. airstrikes that targeted it last month.

Images taken by Maxar Technologies show the construction of a new road winding up the mountain leading to the facility, along with the presence of drilling rigs, bulldozers, and heavy equipment operating near craters left by bunker-buster bombs.

These images indicate that Iran has already begun large-scale repair work, with specialized teams and vehicles on site—pointing to efforts to restore the damaged infrastructure.

Effectiveness of U.S. Strikes
On June 22, 2025, American B-2 bombers launched a heavy aerial attack on key Iranian nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, using GBU-57 bunker-busting bombs designed to penetrate deep mountain fortifications.

Although President Donald Trump declared that the strikes had “completely destroyed” the sites, satellite images and expert analysis suggest that the damage, while significant, was not decisive. There are clear signs that work is continuing at the site, with repair and reconstruction already underway.

Damage Assessment and Recovery Capability
The images show excavators and cranes operating at the entrances of the bomb craters, as well as trucks likely used to haul away debris. New access roads have also been built leading to damaged areas, reflecting Iran’s rapid attempt to restore the site’s operational capacity.

According to the Institute for Science and International Security, these activities may be aimed at assessing the extent of the damage or bringing in equipment and personnel to repair tunnels and underground structures.

The Nuclear Threat and the Future of the Program
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted the difficulty of assessing the extent of the damage without on-site inspection. Meanwhile, BBC Verify journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh confirmed that recent satellite photos show excavation work underway near the strike zones.

Nuclear expert Richard Nephew summarized: “If the Iranians manage to retrieve any intact equipment from beneath the rubble, it undermines claims of total destruction.”

Some analysts believe that the Iranian leadership has grown bolder after the strikes, potentially operating a limited number of advanced centrifuges capable of enriching sufficient uranium to 90% purity within weeks—enough for a primitive nuclear bomb, without the need for testing or missile delivery, and transportable in a truck or shipping container.

Experts say that continued activity at Fordow reflects an Iranian strategy of defiance and continuity, despite international pressure and military escalation.

Questions also remain about the fate of the centrifuges and highly enriched uranium stockpiles. Iran may have relocated them before the U.S. attack, allowing for a relatively rapid resumption of its nuclear program. The Director General of the IAEA has indicated that Iran could bring a sufficient number of centrifuges back online within just a few months.