Trump claims that satellite imagery shows “monumental damage” at Iran's nuclear site, is that true?13:46 Published during the summer time in the UK
Benedict Garman
The BBC examines senior journalists
Image source, ReutersDonald Trump challenged his true society today, External To argue, “As shown in the satellite image, monumental damage has been imposed on all nuclear sites in Iran. Erase is an accurate term!”
BBC Verify has access to many high-resolution, detailed satellite images from companies such as Maxar and Planet Labs.
However, due to the nature of the so-called “bunkerbuster” bombs used by the US military, they explode deep underground rather than near the surface – satellite images alone are not clear how much damage has been dealt to underground targets.
President Trump's own military chief is open about this.
When asked about damage rating, External“It would be too early to comment on things that may or may not be there yet,” said General Dan Kane, chairman of the Co-Statement.
Meanwhile, Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said, “At this point, no one, including the IAEA, is in a position to fully evaluate Ford's underground damage.”
However, he also said, “We expect very large damage to occur given the explosive payload being utilized and the extreme vibration-sensitive nature of the centrifuge.”
The defense analysts we consulted reflect these feelings. Analysts at Janes, a Defense Intelligence Reporting Company, said the only people who can see how much damage has been caused on those sites are “on the ground in Iran.”
“And they won't know until they sift the tiles.”
