A senior Israeli official has warned that Iran could attempt to recover enriched uranium buried beneath one of its bombed nuclear facilities, despite significant damage from recent US and Israeli strikes.
The warning comes as international intelligence agencies debate the true impact of Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iran’s Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan sites with bunker-busting munitions on June 22.
Could Iran recover its uranium stockpile despite bombings?
Israeli intelligence indicates that a stockpile of about 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent remains buried under the rubble at Isfahan and Fordo. The uranium was not removed before the strikes and has not been moved since.
While retrieving the material would be extremely difficult, the Israeli official cautioned that Iran could attempt a challenging recovery operation. US or Israeli surveillance would likely detect any such move, potentially triggering further military action.
Did you know?
Enriched uranium at 60% purity is a short technical step away from weapons-grade, but Iran’s stockpile remains under international scrutiny and is far below the 90% threshold needed for a nuclear bomb.
Will renewed nuclear efforts go undetected by global powers?
US and European intelligence agencies have provided mixed assessments. Some analysts believe Iran may have tried to move parts of its stockpile ahead of the strikes, but Israeli officials insist most of the enriched uranium remains underground at the original sites.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not regained full access to inspect the damaged facilities. Iran recently suspended cooperation with the IAEA, further complicating international monitoring efforts.
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Israel says uranium remains underground at bombed sites
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel believes it knows the location of Iran’s enriched uranium but emphasized that the material is buried and under continuous observation. Israel's defense establishment continues to concentrate on preventing Iran from reestablishing its nuclear capabilities.
Netanyahu stated, “We think we know where it is; it’s sort of buried underground, and we don’t have contrary information.” He said uranium is needed for a bomb, but not enough alone.
US strikes set back Iran’s nuclear program, but not destroy it.
The US Defense Intelligence Agency’s preliminary assessment found that the strikes did significant damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, disabling thousands of centrifuges and setting back the program by several months to two years. However, the facilities were not completely destroyed, and some enriched uranium remains accessible, though difficult to recover.
President Donald Trump has insisted the mission was a total success, but US and Israeli officials remain wary. The risk of Iran resuming nuclear activities persists, especially as diplomatic channels with the IAEA remain closed and regional tensions escalate.
Iran’s ability to recover its stockpile will depend on its willingness to risk detection and renewed military action. The world will be watching closely for any signs of renewed nuclear activity beneath the rubble.
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