Satellite images show damage inside Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Satellite imagery reveals new damage inside Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant complex following US strikes between July 7 and July 15. The damage includes impact scars within the complex and nearby support facilities, though the reactor itself remains unaffected and operational, according to local officials.
The Strikes
A comparison of European Sentinel-2 satellite images from July 7 and July 12 shows newly formed impact scars inside the Bushehr complex and another apparent strike site within nearby support facilities. The open-source unit of Al Jazeera Network compiled satellite imagery, field footage and official data from US Central Command (CENTCOM) to map the strikes across Iran between July 7 and July 15. CENTCOM said it struck about 90 military targets on July 7-8, including air defence systems, missile and drone storage sites, and naval assets, but did not identify Bushehr or any nuclear facility among the announced targets.
Official Response
Ehsan Jahanian, deputy governor of Bushehr province, said on July 9 that several locations across the province had been struck, including areas surrounding the nuclear power plant, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA. Jahanian later denied reports that the plant itself had been hit, stating the reactor remained unaffected and continued operating normally. The Bushehr plant is Iran's only operating nuclear power plant, with a net electrical capacity of about 915 megawatts, according to the IAEA's Power Reactor Information System.
Previous Incidents
The July strike was not the first reported projectile incident near the Bushehr plant in 2026. IAEA event reports submitted by Iran's nuclear regulator recorded multiple incidents, including projectiles striking inside the plant's premises on March 17, March 24 and March 27, as well as another impact near the fence surrounding the reactor's first unit on April 4. Unlike uranium enrichment facilities such as Natanz or Fordow, the operating Bushehr reactor contains nuclear fuel and radioactive materials, making any damage to its cooling, power supply or containment systems significantly more sensitive.
What's Next
The IAEA is expected to assess the latest damage during its next inspection of the Bushehr plant. It remains unclear whether the US will include nuclear facilities in future target lists or if Iran will adjust its air defences around the site.
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Satellite images show damage inside Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant
