In the early hours of Sunday morning, the world woke up to an unprecedented escalation in the Middle East. The United States carried out a carefully planned military strike targeting three of Iran’s most sensitive nuclear sites: the Natanz facility, a location near Isfahan, and the heavily fortified Fordow plant.
President Donald Trump described the operation as a “very successful attack,” But beyond the headlines, key questions remain: What was the real goal of this attack? And has it meaningfully impacted Iran’s nuclear capabilities?
High-Precision Strikes, But What Was the Real Impact?
According to retired Brigadier General Jalal Al-Abadi, a military strategy expert, the U.S. likely used heavy bombers such as the B-52 or possibly stealth B-2 aircraft to carry out the operation. It’s also likely that the strikes involved GBU-57 bunker-busting bombs, which are specifically designed to penetrate deep underground fortifications.
Al-Abadi told +963 that while the strike damaged the entrance to the Fordow facility, it did not appear to reach the deeper sections or the centrifuge halls critical to Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
He added that the strikes near Natanz and Isfahan mainly targeted infrastructure on the surface but did not seem to break through the most heavily fortified underground sections.
“There’s a wide range of opinions on how effective these strikes were,” Al-Abadi explained. “Some believe the mission achieved its goals, but others see it as a largely political move, possibly to satisfy members of Congress and Israeli officials.”
His personal assessment? “The strikes won’t significantly impact Iran’s nuclear capabilities, especially since some of these facilities are buried over 500 meters underground. In fact, Iran had reportedly already moved about 400 kilograms of enriched uranium to secure locations, which suggests their program is far from over.”
Read also: U.S. Forces in Syria on High Alert Amid Fears of Iranian Attacks
Did the U.S. Just Try to Force Iran Back to the Table?
Political analyst Yousef Diab told +963 that the U.S. attack may have had a broader purpose than simply damaging nuclear sites.
“The real goal is likely to strip Iran of its strongest bargaining chips before any future negotiations,” Diab said. “This strike is a clear message to Tehran: The U.S. is willing to go further if necessary.”
Diab believes the U.S. is aiming for much more than just the nuclear issue. “Washington also wants Iran to stop developing ballistic missiles and to scale back its influence over regional groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen.”
While U.S. officials have publicly stated they are not seeking regime change in Iran, Diab suggests that the scale and timing of the strike amount to significant political pressure.
“This was likely the opening message,” he said. “If Iran shows flexibility, we might see a diplomatic opening. But if Tehran responds with escalation, the U.S. could hit back even harder.”
Did the Strike Really Change the Game?
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization quickly announced that there was no radiation risk to the public and claimed the targeted facilities had been cleared of nuclear materials in advance.
Iranian news agency IRNA reported that the sites President Trump claimed to have struck did not contain any materials that could lead to radiation exposure. Iran’s national nuclear safety authority also said the attack violated international law.
So far, no neighboring countries have reported signs of radiation. Saudi Arabia’s Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission confirmed Sunday that no radioactive traces were detected in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere in the Gulf.
Satellite images reviewed by analysts showed unusual movements near Fordow shortly before the strike, suggesting that Iran may have been preparing for a potential attack.
Read also: The Fordow Dilemma: How It Ended
Can Iran Continue Its Nuclear Program?
Despite the U.S. strike, Al-Abadi believes Iran still has the ability to resume its nuclear program. He points out that Iran’s nuclear infrastructure is spread across at least eight main sites, some of which are unknown to the public and some deeply buried beyond the reach of even the most advanced bunker-busting bombs.
“The fact that Iran was able to move enriched uranium to secure locations means the critical material is still intact,” he explained.
Both Al-Abadi and Diab agree: This strike was not enough to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program entirely. The core of Iran’s capabilities remains protected, but the U.S. has sent a clear political message, future negotiations may now start from a very different balance of power.
Ultimately, the question now is whether this high-stakes military move will push Iran toward diplomacy or into deeper confrontation.
