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Israeli Officials Find Enriched Uranium Survived US Strikes on Iran

About 400 kilograms of 60 percent enriched uranium remain buried underground, posing a recovery challenge under Israeli surveillance.

This handout satellite picture provided by Maxar Technologies and taken on June 22, 2025, shows damage after US strikes on the Isfahan nuclear enrichment facility in central Iran.
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Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, Sunday, June 22, 2025, after the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel's effort to destroy the country's nuclear program. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Overview

  • Senior Israeli officials report that roughly 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent survived the June strikes on Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.
  • The uranium is buried under rubble at all three sites, requiring a difficult recovery operation under continuous Israeli monitoring.
  • US defense and intelligence agencies continue gathering information as they finalize their battle damage assessment of Operation Midnight Hammer.
  • President Trump maintains that his forces “totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, a position at odds with more cautious military and international evaluations.
  • Iran’s suspension of IAEA inspections on July 3 has created a verification gap that complicates independent evaluation of the sites’ condition.