US-Israel-Iran War Live News: New satellite imagery has intensified scrutiny over the latest phase of the US-Iran conflict after signs of fresh strike damage appeared inside Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant complex. The images, analysed by Al Jazeera using satellite data captured before and after recent military operations, suggest that explosions occurred within the facility’s perimeter even as Iranian authorities insist the country’s only operational nuclear reactor remains safe.
The findings come as the United States continues a broader military campaign targeting strategic sites across southern Iran.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Satellite Images Show New Damage at Bushehr Nuclear Complex
Fresh satellite images indicate that parts of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant complex sustained damage during recent US military operations.
According to an analysis by Al Jazeera, European Sentinel-2 satellite images captured on July 7 and July 12 reveal newly formed impact marks inside the Bushehr complex. Additional damage also appears near support facilities associated with the nuclear site.
To verify the strikes, Al Jazeera’s open-source investigative team combined satellite imagery, ground footage and publicly available information released by US Central Command, creating a detailed map of military operations conducted across Iran between July 7 and July 15.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Iran Confirms Nearby Strikes but Says Reactor Remains Safe
Iranian officials acknowledged that several locations in Bushehr province came under attack during the recent military campaign.
Ehsan Jahanian, Deputy Governor of Bushehr province, said multiple sites surrounding the nuclear complex, a military installation in Choghadak and a nearby fishing port were struck.
However, he rejected claims that the nuclear reactor itself had suffered direct damage.
According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Jahanian said the reactor remains operational and continues functioning normally despite the nearby attacks.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: US Military Campaign Targets Dozens of Sites
The reported damage comes during an expanded US military operation targeting Iranian military infrastructure.
US Central Command previously announced that American forces struck nearly 90 military targets during operations carried out on July 7 and July 8.
The targets included:
Air defence systems
Missile storage facilities
Drone infrastructure
Naval assets
Other military installations across southern Iran
Despite releasing details of the campaign, US Central Command did not identify Bushehr or any nuclear facility among its officially acknowledged targets.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Why Bushehr is Different From Other Iranian Nuclear Sites
Bushehr is Iran’s only operational nuclear power plant and plays a central role in the country’s electricity generation.
Located about 17 kilometres south of Bushehr city, the facility covers approximately 2.5 square kilometres and includes reactor buildings, cooling water channels, assembly facilities and harbour infrastructure.
Unlike enrichment facilities such as Natanz or Fordow, Bushehr contains an active nuclear reactor that houses nuclear fuel and radioactive materials used for electricity production.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), the operational Bushehr-1 reactor has a net electrical capacity of approximately 915 megawatts. It connected to Iran’s national electricity grid in September 2011 before entering full commercial operation in September 2013.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Damage Raises Fresh Concerns Over Nuclear Safety
Although Iranian authorities maintain that the reactor itself remains untouched, analysts say any strike near critical infrastructure at an operational nuclear power plant raises concerns about safety and regional stability.
Unlike conventional military facilities, nuclear power plants depend on uninterrupted cooling systems, secure power supplies and protected containment structures to operate safely.
The latest satellite imagery has therefore drawn international attention as military tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate, with both sides showing no immediate signs of reducing hostilities.
