Satellite imagery reveals damage to key Iran nuclear sites

3 weeks ago 6

Paul Brown and Shayan Sardarizadeh

BBC Verify

Maxar / BBC Satellite representation  showing harm  to Natanz atomic  siteMaxar / BBC

Satellite imagery shared with BBC Verify has provided a clearer representation of harm inflicted connected 2 of Iran's cardinal atomic sites arsenic good arsenic different subject targets.

Imagery from 2 antithetic providers shows harm to the Natanz atomic installation arsenic good arsenic a rocket tract southbound of the metropolis of Tabriz - deed successful the archetypal circular of strikes against Iran connected Friday.

Other images amusement harm to different known rocket bases.

Israel is continuing to people galore sites crossed Iran, which has prompted retaliatory strikes.

Nuclear sites

Newly released optical outer imagery from Maxar shows the clearest representation yet of what happened astatine cardinal Iranian atomic sites astatine Natanz and Isfahan.

At Natanz, we tin spot harm to the aviator substance enrichment works and an electrical substation, according to investigation by the Institute for Space and International Security (ISIS).

Maxar / BBC A graphic showing harm  to Natanz atomic  siteMaxar / BBC

This follows connected from earlier investigation of radar imagery that archetypal showed the damage.

On Friday the caput of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, told the UN Security Council that "the above-ground portion of the aviator substance enrichment plant, wherever Iran was producing uranium enriched up to 60% U-235, has been destroyed".

Uranium-235 is indispensable some for atomic powerfulness stations and besides for atomic weapons.

Verified footage taken soon aft the strikes amusement respective plumes of fume rising from the site.

Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told BBC Verify that, portion inconclusive, the signifier of explosions "would acceptable with penetrating bombs being used. Probably GBU-31(V)3s oregon adjacent perchance much specialised penetrating GBU-28s".

Telegram Image posted connected  societal  media shows a car   driving on  a roadworthy  with fume  rising successful  the region  up  of itTelegram

Video connected societal media shows plumes of fume rising from a site

These munitions, known arsenic "bunker busters", person been utilized by Israel successful the past to people underground facilities successful some Gaza and Lebanon.

However, Mr Grossi said determination is "no denotation of a carnal onslaught connected the underground cascade hallway containing portion of the aviator substance enrichment works and the main substance enrichment plant".

On Saturday, the IAEA confirmed that four "critical buildings" were damaged astatine Isfahan, including the Uranium conversion installation and the substance sheet fabrication plant.

BBC Verify investigation of the latest images from Maxar recovered disposable harm to astatine slightest 2 structures astatine Isfahan and an evident scorch people adjacent the periphery of the site.

Maxar Satellite imagery showing disposable   harm  to structures astatine  IsfahanMaxar

Satellite imagery showing disposable harm to structures astatine Isfahan

The IAEA has said that "no summation successful off-site radiation" has been recorded astatine either Natanz oregon Isfahan.

Maxar besides provided imagery from 2 different cardinal Iranian atomic sites which showed nary disposable grounds of damage, specficially the the Arak dense h2o reactor oregon the Fordow enrichment facility.

Iranian media had reported the second tract was targeted, but the IDF person since denied this.

Missile/Radar sites

Imagery and investigation captured connected Friday by Umbra Space reveals harm to respective parts of a rocket analyzable adjacent the metropolis of Tabriz successful north-western Iran.

The damaged sites see limb retention areas, rocket shelters and silos, according to the annotated graphic provided by Umbra with investigation by geospatial quality advisor Chris Biggers.

UMBRA Umbra representation  showing areas Israel has carried retired  strikes astatine  Tabriz rocket  analyzable  UMBRA

In Kermanshah, debased solution imagery from Planet Labs shows what appears to beryllium extended pain marks to an country adjacent a known rocket base, and imaginable harm to 2 buildings.

Footage we verified from the aforesaid tract connected Friday showed astatine slightest 3 ample plumes of fume rising from the base.

Planet Labs PBC A examination  of images taken connected  7 June and 14 JunePlanet Labs PBC

A examination of images taken connected 7 June and 14 June successful Kermanshah

Maxar besides provided imagery showing important harm to 1 operation astatine Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Ghadir ballistic rocket basal adjacent Tehran, and sizeable harm to the IRGC radar tract successful Piranshahr successful West Azerbaijan Province.

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