Following a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran had notified it of a “projectile incident” in the vicinity of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Institute acquired high resolution Airbus imagery taken on March 18, 2026, confirming a projectile impact crater 350 meters away from the power reactor (see Figure 1).[1] The IAEA provides no details about the “structure” that was “hit and destroyed,” but satellite imagery taken a week before the strikes shows an unidentified object in an open field, measuring about 5 meters in length (see Figure 2). No other damage can be seen anywhere else at the complex and the power reactor remains untouched.
Currently, it remains unclear who is responsible for the attack. Figure 3 contains an annotated image showing how the debris pattern is in a fan shape moving away from the crater towards the south, which is more suggestive of an incoming projectile from the north and not from the Gulf, meaning the projectile may have been one fired accidentally by Iran, but the United States and Israel could have fired the projectile. The IAEA’s reference to a “projectile” would generally imply that it was not a drone attack.
The IAEA confirms that there was no damage to the reactor itself nor injuries to staff. Regardless, any impact near the Bushehr reactor is a highly dangerous development. We join IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in condemning any attacks in the vicinity of the reactor or of any electrical lines coming into the plant that may be needed to provide power to run reactor emergency systems. Israel and the United States must make sure that the communication channels with Russia remain open and functioning, and all US and Israeli operational personnel are fully aware of the risks.
Figure 1. An impact crater can be seen 350 meters away from the reactor. The projectile destroyed an unidentified structure.
Figure 2. A view of the unidentified object a week before the attack.
Figure 3. An examination of the debris ejecta showing that it spreads southward towards the Gulf, indicating that the projectile came from the north.
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