From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Satellite images show all entrances to Iran’s Isfahan nuclear site have been buried
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Satellite images show that all the tunnel entrances to Iran’s Isfahan nuclear site have been buried under soil, says the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security.
The institute, which long has watched Iran’s nuclear sites, says the Sunday images show that two of the entrances are now totally covered, while the third northernmost entrance to the complex also has “additional passive defense measures.”
The organization says there is no longer vehicle activity seen at the entrances.
The institute says that the it appears that Iran is concerned about the possibility of strikes or a raid by the US or Israel, or both, at the site.
“Backfilling the tunnel entrances would help dampen any potential airstrike and also make ground access in a special forces raid to seize or destroy any highly enriched uranium that may be housed inside difficult,” the institute says, positing that Iran could have moved sensitive materials into the tunnels to help try to protect them.
“Preparations like these were last observed in the days before Operation Midnight Hammer struck facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” the institute says.
NEW: High resolution satellite imagery taken yesterday shows the extent to which Iran has covered the tunnel entrances at the Esfahan nuclear complex with soil. The middle and southern entrances are unrecognizable and fully covered in soil. The northernmost tunnel entrance which… pic.twitter.com/baYI2zCuN0
— Inst for Science (@TheGoodISIS) February 9, 2026
Prior to Israel launching a 12-day war with Iran in June, the Islamic Republic had three major nuclear sites associated with its program.
The facility outside the city of Isfahan was mainly known for producing the uranium gas that is fed into centrifuges to be spun and purified.
Satellite imagery last month showed roofs being built at Isfahan, which the Institute for Science and International Security said appeared to be part of an operation to “recover any sort of remaining assets or rubble without letting us know what they are getting out of there.”
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded that Iran negotiate a deal over its nuclear program to avert threatened American military strikes over the country’s crackdown on protesters.
Agencies contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.