Amid growing international concerns over Iran's internal unrest and contentious nuclear program, recent satellite images have captured signs of significant activity at two Iranian nuclear installations previously damaged by military strikes. The sites, located at Isfahan and Natanz, underwent attacks last year by Israeli and American forces, and current aerial photography reveals the construction of new roofing structures covering damaged facilities.
These observations stem from data supplied by Planet Labs PBC, providing the first visible indication since the targeted strikes last June of efforts taking place at these compromised locations. The rooftop additions effectively shield the interior of the affected buildings from satellite surveillance, limiting the ability to discern ongoing work or the status of nuclear materials stored within.
Iran has not issued any public comments regarding these developments. Moreover, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations body tasked with nuclear oversight, has been unable to verify activities on the ground directly, as Iran has barred inspectors from accessing the sites.
Washington’s position remains firm, with then-President Donald Trump having repeatedly urged Iran toward negotiations over its nuclear arsenal while signaling potential military action in response to Tehran’s harsh suppression of protests. The strategic deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and accompanying destroyers to the region underscores this posture, although the administration’s ultimate course of action remains uncertain.
Experts analyzing the new constructions highlight that these roof installations are unlikely linked to full-scale reconstruction. Instead, they interpret the efforts as part of Tehran’s attempt to conceal salvage operations, determining if key nuclear materials, such as stocks of highly enriched uranium, remain intact following the bombardments.
Andrea Stricker, affiliated with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, remarks that Iran appears intent on recovering any usable assets without revealing details to outside observers, especially U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies.
Before the June attacks, Iran maintained three principal nuclear sites implicated in its program. While Tehran asserts its nuclear pursuits are peaceful, its officials have increasingly intimated intentions to develop nuclear weapons capabilities. Western nations and the IAEA maintain that Iran's organized nuclear weapons effort ceased in 2003.
The Natanz site, situated approximately 220 kilometers south of Tehran, contained critical above- and underground laboratories responsible for the bulk of Iran’s uranium enrichment activities. Prior to the strikes, the facility used advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium to levels nearing 60 percent, a concentration proximate to weapons-grade levels.
Israel’s initial assault damaged Natanz’s main above-ground enrichment building—the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant—and inflicted serious harm on underground centrifuge cascades. Subsequent U.S. strikes employed bunker-busting ordnance, further debilitating the site.
Satellite images document Iran’s construction of a rooftop over the Natanz plant damaged area beginning in December, completing the structure by month’s end. However, power infrastructure at Natanz appears to remain compromised. Additionally, excavation activity continues near Natanz, including ongoing digging at Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā—colloquially termed "Pickaxe Mountain"—indicating possible development of a new subterranean nuclear facility.
At Isfahan, a similar roofing project has been completed over a damaged building in the facility’s northeast corner as of early January. While the specific purpose of this building is not publicly clarified, Israeli sources characterized the initial attack there as targeting centrifuge manufacturing activities. Satellite imagery also shows dirt filling two tunnels into a nearby mountain, a precautionary maneuver against missile attacks, while a third tunnel has been cleared with new walls erected for security.
Senior analysts with the Institute for Science and International Security and open-source intelligence firm Janes assert these protective constructions aim to conceal retrieval operations rather than repair or resume full functionality, enabling Iran to recover materials and equipment discreetly.
Beyond these nuclear sites, Iran has undertaken rebuilding efforts on ballistic missile development facilities. Notably, the Parchin military complex southeast of Tehran has seen reconstruction at the "Taleghan 2" site, destroyed in an October 2024 airstrike. This facility reportedly housed equipment for explosive testing relevant to nuclear weapon research. Satellite analysis reveals rapid reconstitution and enhancements to improve the site's resistance to attack, including installation of a large containment vessel suitable for high-explosive experiments.
While these developments highlight Iran’s continued efforts to safeguard and possibly advance elements of its nuclear and missile programs, opaque site conditions and restricted access leave significant uncertainties about the full scope and intent of the activities underway.