Fact Check: "US airstrikes obliterate three major Iranian nuclear sites overnight."
What We Know
On June 22, 2025, the United States conducted airstrikes targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The operation, codenamed "Midnight Hammer," involved 125 military aircraft and utilized advanced weaponry, including GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) designed to penetrate deep underground facilities (Wikipedia, BBC). According to U.S. military assessments, the strikes resulted in "extremely severe damage and destruction" to these sites (BBC). However, subsequent intelligence reports indicated that while the strikes caused significant damage, they did not destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities entirely. U.S. officials later assessed that the strikes only set back Iran's nuclear program by a few months (New York Times, Reuters).
Iranian officials responded by claiming that the damage was "quite superficial" and that the sites had been evacuated prior to the strikes, suggesting that no irreversible harm was done (BBC).
Analysis
The claim that U.S. airstrikes "obliterated" three major Iranian nuclear sites is misleading. While the strikes did result in significant damage, the term "obliterate" implies complete destruction, which is not supported by the evidence. U.S. military assessments and intelligence reports indicate that the core components of Iran's nuclear program, including centrifuges and enriched uranium stockpiles, were not destroyed and that the damage inflicted could be repaired within a few months (New York Times, Reuters).
The sources used in this analysis are generally reliable, with the BBC and Reuters being well-respected news organizations known for their journalistic standards. However, the interpretation of the damage and its implications varies significantly between U.S. and Iranian narratives, highlighting the potential for bias in reporting (Wikipedia, BBC).
Conclusion
The claim that U.S. airstrikes "obliterated" three major Iranian nuclear sites is Partially True. While the strikes did cause significant damage, they did not completely destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities. The damage was substantial but reparable, and the core elements of Iran's nuclear program remain intact. Thus, the assertion of total obliteration is an exaggeration of the actual outcomes of the strikes.
Sources
- United States strikes on Iranian nuclear sites - Wikipedia
- What we know about US air strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites - BBC
- Strike Set Back Iran's Nuclear Program by Only a Few Months, U.S. Officials Say - New York Times
- US strikes failed to destroy Iran's nuclear sites, intelligence suggests - Reuters
- U.S. strikes 3 nuclear sites in Iran - NPR
- US strikes may have set back Iran nuclear program only months - Reuters
- U.S. strikes only set back Iran's nuclear program by months, sources say - AP News
- World reaction to US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites - Reuters
