Israel: Iran Could Recover Enriched Uranium at Nuke Site Hit by US/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel claims Iran’s buried uranium could still be recovered despite U.S. airstrikes on nuclear sites. American intelligence and defense agencies remain uncertain about the strikes’ full impact. Iran insists damage was severe but may eventually resume nuclear activities.
Iran Nuclear Strike Aftermath Quick Looks
- Israel warns Iran could retrieve buried uranium stocks.
- U.S. bombings targeted Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities.
- Trump insists Iranian nuclear sites were “obliterated.”
- Defense agency awaits data on bomb penetration success.
- CIA confirms destruction of Iran’s metal conversion plant.
- Iran’s uranium remains buried under rubble, posing risks.
- Iranian president cites severe facility damage, delays inspections.
- IAEA says Iran could resume nuclear enrichment if desired.
Israel: Iran Could Recover Enriched Uranium at Nuke Site Hit by US
Deep Look
Israel is voicing new concerns that significant amounts of enriched uranium remain recoverable beneath the rubble of an Iranian nuclear facility bombed by U.S. forces, signaling persistent threats from Tehran’s nuclear program despite American airstrikes intended to cripple it.
A senior Israeli official, speaking anonymously to reporters, revealed that Iran’s deeply buried enriched uranium stores at the Isfahan site might still be accessible, though only with considerable effort. This assessment contrasts sharply with public statements from U.S. President Donald Trump and some of his administration, who insist the strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Last month, the United States conducted coordinated strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, joining Israel in a dramatic escalation of military action intended to halt Tehran’s suspected march toward nuclear weapons capability—a claim Iran continues to deny, maintaining its nuclear program is solely peaceful.
Yet, as dust settles over the bombed installations, new evidence suggests Iran’s nuclear threat may not be fully neutralized.
While initial U.S. intelligence reports confirmed significant damage, they stopped short of declaring the facilities completely destroyed. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency described the bombings as highly damaging but acknowledged that Iran’s underground networks and stockpiles were not entirely eradicated.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe testified to skeptical U.S. lawmakers that the strikes destroyed Iran’s only metal conversion facility—a key piece in the nuclear fuel cycle—delivering a blow that could take years for Tehran to overcome. However, Ratcliffe cautioned that the majority of Iran’s enriched uranium likely remains intact, buried beneath massive debris at the Isfahan and Fordo sites.
Israel’s recent intelligence aligns with this cautious outlook. According to the senior Israeli official, Iran’s uranium stocks were divided across the three targeted facilities and had not been moved prior to the U.S. strikes. While recovery would be technically challenging, the possibility of Iran retrieving its uranium raises fresh concerns over the long-term efficacy of the bombing campaign.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency—the team responsible for developing the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, colloquially known as the “bunker buster”—revealed that it has not yet confirmed whether the bombs achieved their intended depth to destroy Iran’s fortified subterranean facilities. Two agency officials, speaking anonymously, acknowledged they lack post-strike data necessary to fully assess the operation’s success.
This uncertainty undercuts Trump’s firm declarations that the bombings wiped out Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump’s sentiments, describing the targeted sites as “destroyed,” though official intelligence reports advise more measured conclusions.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has publicly admitted to widespread damage across Iran’s nuclear facilities, confirming in a recent interview with conservative American broadcaster Tucker Carlson that Iranian teams still cannot fully access or survey the bombed sites. Pezeshkian signaled Iran’s willingness to resume cooperation with the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, but insisted that current conditions prevent any immediate return to regular inspections.
“We stand ready to have such supervision,” Pezeshkian stated. “Unfortunately, as a result of the United States’ unlawful attacks against our nuclear centers and installations, many of the pieces of equipment and the facilities there have been severely damaged.”
Despite Pezeshkian’s assurances, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), delivered a starkly mixed message late last month. Grossi confirmed significant destruction at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, but warned that the underlying capability to restart uranium enrichment may still exist if Iran decides to rebuild.
“Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there,” Grossi said, emphasizing that a complete assessment hinges on Tehran granting inspectors full access—a scenario still in doubt amid lingering political tensions.
Nonproliferation experts caution that while physical damage is considerable, Iran’s technical expertise remains intact, and reconstruction, though time-consuming, is feasible if political will persists. The lingering question, analysts say, is how long Iran might wait before attempting to retrieve its buried uranium stockpiles and resume its nuclear ambitions.
In the meantime, Washington faces a delicate strategic balancing act—portraying military success to domestic and international audiences while grappling with the nuanced reality that Iran’s nuclear aspirations may have only been delayed, not fully dismantled.
As diplomatic and military calculations continue, the possibility that Iran could eventually recover its enriched uranium keeps the threat alive, underscoring how the region’s nuclear tensions remain unresolved despite America’s show of force.
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