On the night of June 12/13, 2025, Israel initiated a large-scale military attack on Iran's nuclear program under the name "Operation Rising Lion." Israel's primary targets reportedly included defensive sites, key personnel, missile and air force sites, and preventative strikes on retaliation capabilities. Other than the Natanz enrichment site, key nuclear facilities do not appear to have been targeted on Day One. In fact, nuclear sites in general were not targeted. The priority seemed to be to attack those targets and individuals that require surprise to succeed, figuring that the nuclear sites will be there tomorrow. The one exception is the fate of the 20 and 60 percent enriched uranium stocks; and nothing could be learned about these stocks.
This report focuses exclusively on the nuclear facilities targeted on the first night of the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that the stated goal of the operation is "to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival" and states that the operation will "continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat." [1] As such, this report will be updated as needed. Netanyahu further stated that Israel "struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment program, at the heart of Iran's weaponization program, targeted Iran's main enrichment facility at Natanz, targeted Iran's leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb, and struck at the heart of Iran's ballistic missile program."
Natanz Site
As of noon EST, June 13th, evidence is available that Israel targeted facilities located at the Natanz nuclear complex. Satellite imagery as well as ground imagery support that multiple above ground facilities were destroyed, apparently with the goal to render the site unusable by taking out the electrical supply in a first strike.
The Institute has obtained high-resolution satellite imagery of Natanz taken after Israel's attack. The imagery shows extensive damage to the electrical power supply for the complex, including the main outdoor transformer substation, a concealed transformer substation, and two backup gas turbine generators, with smoke still rising when the image was taken around 11 AM local time. The above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) was also destroyed (see Figure 1 - 4).
The below-ground enrichment facility appears not to have been targeted through earth penetrators in this attack. There is also no visible damage to the buildings holding the below-ground entrances, although damage is visible near the personnel entrances where a small building, possibly a parking structure, was destroyed between those personnel entrance buildings (see Figure 2). However, drone strikes, or other less visible means of attack, cannot be excluded. Moreover, the loss of electricity to the underground facility can lead to extensive damage to the centrifuges, if emergency power is lost or runs down, and the centrifuges spin down. At the least, the enrichment plant is rendered inoperable for the time-being by the thorough disconnect from power supply and the lack of support functions dependent on such power, such as HVAC (which was not targeted).
Satellite imagery also does not show any damage to the new facility under construction under Mt. Kolang Gaz La, just south of the Natanz enrichment plant. This facility will hold an advanced centrifuge assembly facility and may hold the new centrifuge enrichment plant Iran has said it intended to start soon. However, this mountain complex shares a power supply with the Natanz complex, so right now the mountain complex is dark apart from perhaps small mobile generators onsite.
The damage revealed by the imagery is corroborated by information released by Israel, the IAEA, and videos circulating on social media. An annotated satellite image of the Natanz enrichment site posted by the Israeli Defense Forces labels one the two main underground halls (the second hall is assessed to be largely empty), and the electric substation that provides power to the facility in red, presumably as main targets[2] (see Figure 5). Curiously, it does not label the above-ground pilot enrichment plant. The IAEA posted a statement on X that it "can confirm [the] Natanz site among targets." [3] A ground video circulating on X appears to show multiple explosions, fires, and smoke at the Natanz site, specifically near the electrical substation. [4]
The complete destruction of the PFEP is significant given that the facility was used to produce 60 percent highly enriched UF6. According to IAEA data from late May 2025, the PFEP held over 1700 advanced centrifuges, including hundreds of IR-6, IR-4, IR-2m centrifuges, and research and development for new types of advanced centrifuges. The attack on the above ground targets, like the electrical substation and generators, and the PFEP, are likely a prelude to follow-on attacks against other targets, like the below ground facility or the new facility under construction at Mt. Kolang Gaz La. Israel has stated that further strikes will take place over the coming days, if not weeks.
Other Sites
Using imagery from daytime on June 13, we looked at a variety of other sites and found no visible damage. These sites, the Arak heavy water reactor and adjacent heavy water production plant, several locations at Parchin, Sanjarian, and other SPND sites.
However, as above, damage may have occurred that is not yet visible, and more strikes by Israel are expected. Moreover, the Israelis may have wanted to delay attacking major nuclear sites, allowing them to be evacuated, including by International Atomic Energy Agency personnel. Therefore, the full extent of the damage has yet to be seen or to have occurred.
As we were finalizing this report, there were reports on X indicating attacks on the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP) and Parchin. According to an IDF spokesperson, Israel has successfully struck Esfahan, which hosts numerous nuclear facilities, including an important uranium conversion facility and stockpiles of 20 percent and 60 percent highly enriched uranium. [5]
Figure 1. A high-resolution satellite image of the Natanz enrichment complex after an attack by Israel.
Figure 2. Another post-attack image highlighting the destroyed PFEP, the location of the underground Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP), and the location of the underground entrances, where damage is visible near the personnel entrances.
Figure 3. An up-close image of the destroyed Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP).
Figure 4. A closeup image of the destroyed electrical equipment that supplies ower to the complex.
Figure 5. An annotated satellite image of the Natanz enrichment plant published by the IDF after the strike.
1. Statement by PM Netanyahu, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsj5pw4QPls. [↩]
2.https://x.com/IDF/status/1933459738936656100. [↩]
3.https://x.com/iaeaorg/status/1933357769656066114. [↩]
4.https://x.com/Osint613/status/1933392422223958498. [↩]
5.https://x.com/ltc_shoshani/status/1933578728052801990?s=46&t=mhPmEvYhPNkkX4E7tLlQbQ [↩]
