ISLAMABAD: New satellite imagery analysed by BBC Verify shows evident damage at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility following recent strikes.
The image, captured by the US-based company Umbra Space, uses Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology to produce a high-resolution, monochrome view of the ground.
The SAR imaging offers a key advantage over traditional satellite photography by penetrating cloud cover, allowing for consistent visibility regardless of weather conditions.
The annotated satellite image reveals that at least four structures within the facility have sustained damage. BBC Verify has marked these buildings and is currently working with experts to determine their specific purposes.
Notably, the imagery indicates that the strikes were executed with high precision. Adjacent structures that were not direct targets show little to no visible damage.
No fatalities in attack
Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI), stated that the Friday attack by Israel on the Shahid Ahmadi-Roshan nuclear facility in Natanz resulted in only surface-level damage, with no casualties or concerning radiation leaks.
In a televised interview, Eslami condemned the incident as a “terrorist act by the Zionist regime” and asserted that such actions would not impede Iran’s nuclear progress.
He explained that the strike occurred at dawn, aligning with reported Israeli operations in Tehran. Describing the attack on Natanz repeated, Eslami said the perpetrators attempted to cause maximum damage using a pre-determined map. He added, “Thank God, we did not face serious damage,” specifying that the impact was limited to surface structures. He reassured the public that there had been “no radiation leakage that would cause concern,” and noted that an assessment of the damage was ongoing.
The AEOI chief strongly criticised the assault and expressed disappointment with the global response. He noted that Iran has repeatedly informed the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about such threats through its Foreign Ministry, “but these bodies have failed to take a clear stance against this aggressor regime.”
Eslami reaffirmed Iran’s determination to continue its nuclear programme, stating that such attacks “have the smallest effect on our will and that of our colleagues.” He emphasised that the country’s nuclear trajectory is clearly defined and that personnel across all sites are operating with “greater faith, strength, and determination,” adding that “the nuclear programmes of the country will continue powerfully and solidly.”
In the early hours of Friday, Israel launched a military strike on Iranian territory, resulting in the deaths of high-ranking Islamic Revolution Guard Corps commanders and notable nuclear scientists. Initial reports indicate that over 100 people were killed, with many more injured — including civilians, women, and children — as residential areas came under heavy attack.
These nuclear facilities and civilian zones, Iran says, were targeted in violation of international law, posing a serious threat to regional stability.
