The Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant in Iran was among three nuclear sites targeted by U.S. military airstrikes on Sunday, marking direct U.S. involvement in the escalating Israel-Iran conflict.
President Donald Trump announced that the strikes on the Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan facilities had “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Satellite imagery later confirmed substantial damage to the Fordow plant and the nearby mountain region south of Tehran where it is located.
However, according to two Israeli officials speaking to The New York Times, Iran had already relocated a large quantity of enriched uranium and sensitive equipment from Fordow before the U.S. assault. The report states that roughly 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity—just below weapons-grade—had been moved as the Trump administration debated whether to deploy ground troops.
Although initial concerns were raised about radiation leaks following the strikes, Iranian authorities maintained that no radioactive materials were present at the targeted sites.
Senior U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, later admitted uncertainty about the current location of Iran’s uranium stockpile. Speaking to ABC, Vance stated, “That’s one of the things that we’re going to have conversations with the Iranians about.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine also stopped short of confirming Trump’s claim that the nuclear sites were fully destroyed. Instead, both acknowledged that the strikes had inflicted “significant damage,” consistent with early assessments from the Israeli military.
The Fordow facility, long thought to be beyond the reach of Israeli munitions, was a primary target of the U.S. campaign. It is believed to have the capacity to produce enough highly enriched uranium for nine nuclear bombs in less than a month.
To breach Fordow’s fortified structure, the U.S. deployed B2 stealth bombers—each worth over $2 billion—equipped with powerful bunker-buster bombs.
