US attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities cause unassessed damage, CNN reports citing Western military sources.

US attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities cause unassessed damage, CNN reports citing Western military sources.

In a significant escalation of tensions in the Middle East, the United States launched a series of strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities, according to CNN reports citing Western military sources. The attacks, which took place overnight on Sunday, targeted key sites in Iran's nuclear program, including the Fordo enrichment facility and the Natanz centrifuge plant.

The U.S. military, in a coordinated operation, used B-2 Spirit bombers and cruise missiles to strike the facilities. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, during a Pentagon press conference, claimed that Iran's nuclear ambitions had been "obliterated," but independent experts have expressed skepticism regarding the extent of the damage.

Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, both noted that the strikes did not seem to have significantly impacted Iran's stocks of highly enriched uranium. Satellite imagery before the attack showed trucks at key sites, suggesting that Iran may have moved its enriched uranium before the strikes.

The strikes have raised concerns about potential retaliation from Iran and have caused a period of high alert in the region. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, lashed out at the U.S., saying the strikes undercut diplomatic efforts and that Iran reserves the right to defend its security interests.

The U.S. administration has emphasized that the strikes were a focused mission and not the start of a broader military operation. However, the attack has dimmed hopes for a negotiated solution to end the fighting, as President Trump indicated he would wait for as long as two weeks to give diplomacy a chance before the strikes.

The strikes have ushered in a period of high alert, with over 40,000 American troops on bases and warships in the region. While U.S. officials say Iran has depleted its stockpile of medium-range missiles, the country still has an ample supply of other weapons, including rockets and drones.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has not detected any increases in radiation outside the sites, suggesting that the strikes may not have caused a significant environmental impact.

References:

[1] https://www.npr.org/2025/06/22/nx-s1-5441734/satellites-show-damage-iran-nuclear-program-not-destroyed-experts-say
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/22/world/israel-iran-us-trump/russia-may-be-a-friend-of-iran-but-it-seems-unlikely-to-offer-much-help