How were Iranian nuclear facilities attacked?
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English 
العربية
Iranian nuclear facilities have been attacked through a combination of methods, including both cyberattacks and conventional military strikes. Cyberattacks (e.g., Stuxnet): * Stuxnet: This sophisticated computer worm, uncovered in 2010, is widely believed to have been a joint U.S.-Israeli operation.Read more
Iranian nuclear facilities have been attacked through a combination of methods, including both cyberattacks and conventional military strikes.
See lessCyberattacks (e.g., Stuxnet):
* Stuxnet: This sophisticated computer worm, uncovered in 2010, is widely believed to have been a joint U.S.-Israeli operation. It specifically targeted the industrial control systems (SCADA) at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility.
* Stuxnet manipulated the programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that controlled the centrifuges used for uranium enrichment.
* It caused the centrifuges to spin out of control and self-destruct, while simultaneously providing false “normal” readings to operators, making the damage difficult to detect immediately.
* This cyberattack reportedly destroyed a significant portion of Iran’s centrifuges and set back its enrichment program without the need for a physical strike.
Conventional Military Strikes:
Recent reports (June 2025) indicate that the U.S. has conducted military strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. These attacks reportedly involved:
* Bunker Buster Bombs: At least three B-2 stealth bombers reportedly dropped six 13.6-ton (30,000 lbs) Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs on the Fordow underground uranium enrichment site. Fordow is heavily fortified and buried deep underground (estimated 80-90 meters or 262-295 feet deep), requiring these specialized “bunker buster” bombs designed to penetrate multiple layers of reinforced concrete and rock before detonating.
* Tomahawk Missiles: Submarines are believed to have fired approximately 30 Tomahawk missiles at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility and the nuclear complex in Isfahan.
These conventional strikes represent a more direct and kinetic approach compared to the covert cyberattacks of the past, aiming to physically damage or “decapitate” Iran’s nuclear program.