As American aircraft bombed the underground uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, the International Atomic Energy Agency estimated that all the centrifuges in the subterranean hall, some 30 meters (98 feet) below ground, had already been shut down due to an earlier Israeli strike that damaged the power supply system feeding the machines. The centrifuges operate at supersonic speeds.
Nevertheless, it is believed that the US airstrikes caused significantly more damage to the facility, the same site that was targeted more than 15 years ago in the infamous "Stuxnet" cyberattack carried out by the Bush and Obama administrations. At the time, the presidents opted for covert action out of concern that a bombing would be too dangerous.
Three senior Iranian officials, speaking anonymously, said they believed that US forces bombed the Fordo and Natanz sites at approximately 2:30 a.m. Iran time.
While strikes on Fordo and Natanz were anticipated, the Isfahan facility, which had received less attention, was the more challenging target. Isfahan is home to laboratories and installations used to convert uranium into the form required for nuclear weapons production. Most of the uranium enriched to 60% purity was stored in special containers deep within the laboratories and storage sites. International inspectors had known the exact locations until at least several weeks ago. It is not currently clear whether Iran managed to relocate the fuel, as some Iranian sources have claimed.
