U.S. Targets Three Nuclear Facilities: Know More About Them

The United States President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the U.S. successfully struck three nuclear facilities of Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. As per reports, Iran has confirmed the attacks but said the country did not suffer a major blow because the materials from the nuclear sites had already been vacated.

"Everybody heard those names for years as they built those horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity," Trump said in his address from the White House.

Calling Iran the bully of the middle east, Trump said that Iran must make peace. "If they do not, future attacks will be far greater, and a lot easier."

Here's a look at the three sites.

Natanz

Considered the most significant Uranium enrichment facility, the nuclear complex is about 250 kilometers (150 miles) South of Tehran's capital.

CNN quotes analysts as saying it is used to develop and assemble centrifuges for uranium enrichment, a key technology that turns uranium into nuclear fuel.

According to reports, Natanz has multiple over and underground structures. It has six above-ground buildings and three underground structures, two of which can hold 50,000 centrifuges, according to the non-profit Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI).

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has enriched uranium up to 60% purity at its above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant. Weapons-grade uranium is enriched to 90%.

Fordow

Located in Qom-the, the holy city of Iran, not much is known about this site.

The facility is mostly underground, buried deep in a group of mountains. CNN quotes some stolen documents of Israeli intelligence to say the main halls are an estimated 80 to 90 meters (around 262 to 295 feet) beneath the ground.

According to reports, only the US can bomb the facility. Recent IAEA reports suggested Iran had ramped up production of enriched uranium to a level of 60% at Fordow. According to experts and the IAEA, the facility now contains 2,700 centrifuges.

Isfahan 

In central Iran, Isfahan is home to the country's largest nuclear research complex.

According to reports, the Isfahan facility was built with support from China and opened in 1984, according to the NTI.

Over 3000 scientists are believed to be employed at the facility, and the site is "suspected of being the center" of Iran's nuclear program.

The NTI says it "operates three small Chinese-supplied research reactors," as well as a "conversion facility, a fuel production plant, a zirconium cladding plant, and other facilities and laboratories. "

For latest updates of the attack, please visit: US Attacks Iran LIVE