All about the US bombings of Iran's nuclear plants in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan

US forces have launched direct strikes on three of Iran’s key nuclear and military sites — Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan — sharply escalating tensions in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. President Donald Trump confirmed the attacks, calling them “very successful,” and emphasized that the Fordow facility had been the main target. Iran’s state media confirmed the strikes took place early Sunday.

This marks the first time the US has directly targeted Iranian territory in this conflict, having previously only intercepted Iranian missile and drone attacks on Israel. The move came days after Israel carried out a surprise series of airstrikes on Iranian territory, which it said were necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran, which insists its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes, responded with missile and drone barrages targeting Israeli cities and military infrastructure.

Before the latest strikes, the US and Iran were engaged in talks that could have led to the easing of American sanctions in exchange for Iran curbing its uranium enrichment. That diplomatic channel now appears to be closed, at least temporarily.

The three sites struck by the US are central to Iran’s nuclear ambitions:

Natanz Enrichment Facility:

Located around 220 kilometers southeast of Tehran, Natanz is Iran’s main uranium enrichment center. The site has both aboveground and underground facilities, with the latter designed to withstand attacks. Natanz had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity — just short of weapons-grade — and was already damaged by earlier Israeli strikes. Cascades of centrifuges at Natanz helped Iran quickly enrich uranium, but many of these were reportedly destroyed in the previous Israeli attack. The site has a long history of sabotage attempts, including the 2010 Stuxnet cyberattack believed to be a joint US-Israeli operation.

Fordow Enrichment Facility:

This deeply buried site is located about 100 kilometers southwest of Tehran and is fortified under a mountain. The facility’s protection makes it a difficult target, likely requiring powerful “bunker buster” bombs such as the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which only the US Air Force’s B-2 stealth bombers can deliver. Fordow also hosts uranium-enriching centrifuges and is considered one of the most secure components of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center:

Situated about 350 kilometers southeast of Tehran, Isfahan houses laboratories and three Chinese-supplied research reactors. Thousands of nuclear scientists work at the facility, making it a key hub for Iran’s research and development in nuclear energy.

While these were the primary sites targeted, Iran operates other significant nuclear installations that have not yet been attacked. These include:

• Bushehr Nuclear Plant: Iran’s only commercial nuclear power reactor, located near the Persian Gulf. The plant uses Russian-supplied uranium and is under IAEA monitoring.

• Arak Heavy Water Reactor: Though redesigned under the 2015 nuclear deal to prevent weapons-grade plutonium production, the facility remains a focus due to its potential proliferation risks.

• Tehran Research Reactor: Located at the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran’s headquarters, it was originally fueled with highly enriched uranium but now uses low-enriched material.

This new wave of US military involvement marks a turning point, shifting from indirect support of Israel to direct engagement in the conflict. The strikes raise the risk of a broader regional war and further distance any near-term hopes for reviving nuclear diplomacy.