A military source stated that the US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz on June 22 were preceded by operational coordination with Russia, a move aimed at avoiding any miscalculation that could lead to unintended consequences. According to the source, Washington briefed Moscow on the movements of its nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers shortly before the attack, as a precaution to prevent the activation of Russian nuclear warning systems.

The source explained to Eagle Intelligence Reports that the coordination did not include details of the strikes or their targets, but was limited to “necessary operational coordination,” particularly given Russia’s involvement in the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is partially operated with Moscow‘s assistance, including technical oversight. The source revealed that the aircraft’s extended flight path, coupled with a complex deception plan involving two formations of bombers, prompted Washington to notify Moscow. One formation flew west over the Pacific Ocean to distract Iranian surveillance, while the other formation quietly crossed the Atlantic and Europe to carry out the actual strikes.

The operation, which took approximately 37 hours from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, involved seven B-2 Spirit bombers and deployed 13-ton GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs, capable of penetrating up to 18 meters of concrete or 61 meters of earth before detonating, to strike the three nuclear sites. Analysts noted that this coordination underscored the sensitivity and precision of the mission, and highlighted Washington’s determination to keep lines of contact with Moscow under control, despite the deep tensions between the two sides at the time of the strike over issues such as Ukraine.

Initial assessments indicated extensive damage to the targeted facilities. Satellite imagery taken on June 22 showed six fresh craters at the Fordow nuclear site, marking entry points of US munitions along with widespread gray dust and debris scattered across the mountainside. Intelligence obtained by the CIA, including new information from reliable sources, indicated that several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and that rebuilding them could take years. However, the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessed that while the strikes caused significant damage, they did not eliminate the core components of Iran’s nuclear program, which could be reactivated within months.

Fordow, Iran’s second-most important nuclear site, enriches uranium to levels close to weapons-grade and is buried nearly half a mile underground within a Revolutionary Guard military base, approximately 95 kilometers southwest of Tehran. The Natanz facility covers 2.7 square kilometers and was built eight meters underground. The Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF), which covers an area of 60 hectares and includes approximately 60 operating and non-operational units, specializes in processing uranium for agricultural, medical, and energy purposes.

Earlier, on June 13, Israel launched a 12-day war against Iran, targeting military and nuclear sites, as well as civilian facilities, and killing senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. According to the Iranian Health Ministry, the conflict killed 606 people and wounded 5,332 others. Tehran responded with missile attacks on Tel Aviv, inflicting heavy casualties. The US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities were followed by Tehran’s missile attack on the Al Udeid military base in Qatar. On June 24, Washington declared a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.