US strikes Natanz nuclear enrichment facility with bunker-busters — IDF denies involvement; no radiation leak

The United States struck Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment facility in the early hours of Day 22 (March 21, 2026), using bunker-buster bombs, the Times of Israel reported. The IDF stated it did not conduct strikes in the area, pointing to the operation as US-only. KEY DETAILS: - Target: Natanz uranium enrichment facility, Isfahan Province — Iran's main fuel enrichment plant (FEP), capable of enriching uranium to weapons-grade - Method: Bunker-buster bombs (ToI report) — consistent with GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) needed to defeat underground hardened facilities - IDF denial: 'IDF did not conduct any strikes in the area' (ToI) - Iran confirmed the strike via state news agency - No radiation leakage confirmed by both Iran and the IAEA - IAEA Director General called for restraint STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE: Natanz is the heart of Iran's uranium enrichment program. It contains two main facilities: the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) at surface level and the deeply buried Fordow-like underground halls. Earlier in the war, the IAEA confirmed the Natanz entrance buildings were damaged (Day 3). This strike appears to be a deeper penetration strike on the enrichment halls themselves. Context: The Trump administration has been actively planning to secure or extract Iran's ~970 lbs of enriched uranium (multiple people briefed, CBS/AP/NYT). Striking Natanz would both degrade enrichment capacity and potentially destroy or expose stored uranium for extraction. The IDF's explicit denial is notable — it suggests the US wanted to own this strike independently, possibly to signal that the nuclear dimension is a US red line, not just an Israeli one. The IAEA's call for restraint and confirmation of no radiation leak suggests the strike was precision-targeted at enrichment infrastructure rather than radioactive material storage.