Key Points and Summary: Following the US “Operation Midnight Hammer” strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, Israel has intensified its own air campaign, targeting not just nuclear-related infrastructure but also symbols of the regime’s power.
-On Monday, June 23rd, Israeli jets struck targets in Tehran, including the notorious Evin Prison and a headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
-Israel also confirmed it had bombed access roads to the Fordow nuclear facility to prevent the movement of materials.
-This new phase of strikes aims to exert maximum pressure on the Iranian government, with some analysts suggesting the goal may now be to precipitate the regime’s collapse.
Why Israel Just Returned to Fordow
Israel followed the United States’ lead Monday, June 23, intensifying its military campaign and conducting a new wave of strikes on the Fordow nuclear facility.
The attack on what remains of the famed nuclear facility follows strikes conducted by the United States over the weekend using B-2 bombers and America’s heaviest munitions, an attack dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer.”
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported that the strike took place, citing a spokesperson from the Qom crisis management authority.
Israel’s Latest Strikes Explained
Reports revealed Monday morning that Israel used fighter jets to destroy access roads and supply routes around the remains of the underground Fordow complex.
The decision suggests that Tehran’s claims that enriched uranium had already been moved from Fordow may be untrue, as Israel takes steps to obstruct the evacuation of nuclear materials following this week’s strikes.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that the strikes occurred in the Tehran-Qom corridor just a day after U.S. bunker-buster bombs hit the facility. Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the effort was meant to “disrupt access to the site.”
The strikes, along with additional attacks that occurred in Tehran and Karaj, were confirmed by Iran’s ILNA news agency. ILNA also reported that a technical building belonging to the state broadcaster had been hit in the strikes, before the feed was abruptly cut.
Why Return to Fordow?
Following this weekend’s U.S. strikes, which President Donald Trump described as a “bullseye” attack that delivered “monumental” and “total obliteration” to Iran’s uranium enrichment and nuclear facilities, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reaffirmed American confidence that the strikes were a success.
Leavitt claimed that the airstrikes left Iran’s nuclear facilities “completely and totally obliterated.”
Rather than targeting Fordow’s extensive underground network and facilities, Israel’s latest strikes were reportedly designed to make accessing the remains of the Fordow site as difficult as possible.
The IDF announced that its latest strikes hit the routes surrounding the enrichment site to “obstruct access routes,” describing their attack as deliberate action to prevent the movement of nuclear materials.
Is the Nuclear Program Over?
Monday morning’s strikes prompted speculation that the United States may not have caused as much damage as intended.
The United States and Israel claim that their intelligence suggests the site has endured significant damage, but nuclear authorities cannot say with certainty the damage that has been done.
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, confirmed that his agency had not yet accessed the underground centrifuge halls and warned that full verification of damage will be impossible without on-site inspections.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has claimed that Israel is “very close” to achieving its military goals in Iran, which include destroying its nuclear facilities, missile infrastructure, and regional proxy networks.
Netanyahu also indicated that the conflict is not yet over, insisting they will continue until all objectives are met.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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