logo
Iran Confirms Limited Damage At Key Nuclear Site After Israeli Attack

Iran Confirms Limited Damage At Key Nuclear Site After Israeli Attack

Arab Timesa day ago

TEHRAN, June 14: Iran's heavily fortified Fordow uranium enrichment facility sustained limited damage following Israeli airstrikes on June 13, amid escalating regional tensions. While above-ground structures at the site were reportedly hit, international nuclear experts confirmed that the underground enrichment halls—housing Iran's advanced centrifuges—remain largely unaffected.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) acknowledged the incident and noted that inspections have not been suspended. Analysts warn that Iran could resume full-scale enrichment swiftly, as critical infrastructure within the mountain-shielded complex remains operational.
The Fordow strike formed part of a broader Israeli campaign targeting Iran's nuclear infrastructure, including sites in Natanz and Isfahan. Despite the show of force, nuclear experts say the attacks were symbolic, with limited long-term impact on Iran's enrichment capabilities.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Iranian Civilians Asked to Evacuate Weapons Sites by Israel
Iranian Civilians Asked to Evacuate Weapons Sites by Israel

Arab Times

time2 hours ago

  • Arab Times

Iranian Civilians Asked to Evacuate Weapons Sites by Israel

DUBAI, June 15: The Israeli military issued an urgent warning to Iranian civilians, advising them to evacuate all weapons production facilities immediately. This warning was delivered by Colonel Avichay Adraee, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson for Arabic media, via the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The message was posted in both Persian and Arabic, emphasizing that proximity to these facilities posed a significant risk to civilian lives. The IDF's statement read:"All individuals currently present or expected to be present in or around military weapons manufacturing facilities and their supporting institutions must immediately evacuate these areas and not return until further notice." This unprecedented evacuation warning suggests that Israel may be preparing for further military actions targeting Iran's military infrastructure. The warning follows a series of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military sites, including the Defense Ministry and nuclear facilities, which have resulted in significant casualties on both sides. In retaliation, Iran launched missile attacks on Israeli cities, causing civilian casualties and extensive damage . The escalation has led to the suspension of nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran, with both sides expressing a willingness to de-escalate, provided the other's actions cease.

Israel launches strikes on Iran
Israel launches strikes on Iran

Kuwait Times

time4 hours ago

  • Kuwait Times

Israel launches strikes on Iran

TEHRAN: Israel carried out strikes against Iran on Friday, targeting its nuclear and military sites, after US President Donald Trump warned of a possible "massive conflict" in the region. Israel's operation struck at the "heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme", taking aim at the atomic facility in Natanz and nuclear scientists, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. The operation against Iran will "continue as many days as it takes," Netanyahu said. Iran's Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri was "likely eliminated", said an Israeli security official. Iranian state media said residential buildings in Tehran were also hit, killing a number of civilians including women and children. Fire and smoke were seen at a key site for Iran's Revolutionary Guards, state TV reported, while explosions were also heard in Natanz city in Iran's central province. The Guards' leader Hossein Salami was killed in the strikes, Iranian media said. Air traffic was halted at Tehran's main international airport Imam Khomeini, while neighbouring Iraq has also closed its airspace and suspended all flights at all airports, state media reported. Israel declared a state of emergency, likewise closing its airspace, with Defence Minister Israel Katz saying retaliatory action from Tehran was possible following the operation. "Following the State of Israel's preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future," Katz said. An Israeli military official added that the Israeli army believed that Iran had the ability to strike Israel "any minute". Oil prices surged as much as eight percent while stocks sank on the Israeli strikes, which came after Trump's warning. The US president has also said the US was drawing down staff in the region. "I don't want to say imminent, but it looks like it's something that could very well happen," Trump told reporters at the White House Thursday when asked if an Israeli attack loomed. Trump said he believed a "pretty good" deal on Iran's nuclear programme was "fairly close", but said that an Israeli attack on its arch foe could wreck the chances of an agreement. The US leader did not disclose the details of a conversation on Monday with Netanyahu, but said: "I don't want them going in, because I think it would blow it." Trump quickly added: "Might help it actually, but it also could blow it." Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran not respond to Israeli strikes by hitting US bases, saying Washington was not involved. "Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel," Rubio said in a statement. The United States on Wednesday said it was reducing embassy staff in Iraq -- long a zone of proxy conflict with Iran. Israel, which counts on US military and diplomatic support, sees the cleric-run state in Tehran as an existential threat and hit Iranian air defences last year. The United States and other Western countries, along with Israel, have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it has repeatedly denied. Israel again called for global action after the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency accused Iran on Wednesday of non-compliance with its obligations. The resolution could lay the groundwork for European countries to invoke a "snapback" mechanism, which expires in October, that would reinstate UN sanctions eased under a 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by then US president Barack Obama. Trump pulled out of the deal in his first term and slapped Iran with sweeping sanctions. Iran's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, slammed the resolution as "extremist" and blamed Israeli influence. In response to the resolution, Iran said it would launch a new enrichment centre in a secure location. Iran would also replace "all of these first-generation machines with sixth-generation advanced machines" at the Fordo uranium enrichment plant, said Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close, though still short, of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead. - AFP

High-Ranking Iran's Commanders And Scientists Among Dead In Israeli Strikes
High-Ranking Iran's Commanders And Scientists Among Dead In Israeli Strikes

Arab Times

timea day ago

  • Arab Times

High-Ranking Iran's Commanders And Scientists Among Dead In Israeli Strikes

TEHRAN, June 14: Iran has confirmed the deaths of several high-ranking military commanders and nuclear scientists following a series of Israeli airstrikes on Friday that targeted key military and nuclear sites across the country. The strikes, which reportedly aimed to disrupt Tehran's ability to develop nuclear weapons, resulted in the deaths of at least 20 senior figures, including the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and prominent officials linked to Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear programs. According to regional sources cited by Reuters, among those killed were: Hossein Salami – Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in 2019. Born in 1960, Salami was a central figure in Iran's military establishment. Mohammad Bagheri – Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces and a former IRGC commander. Bagheri joined the Guards during the Iran-Iraq War and had served in the post since 2016. Amir Ali Hajizadeh – Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Force and a key figure in Iran's missile program. He was widely seen as responsible for orchestrating aerial threats against Israel. Hajizadeh also admitted responsibility for the accidental downing of a Ukrainian airliner in 2020. Gholamali Rashid – Major General and head of the IRGC's Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters. He previously served as deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces and was a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war. Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani – A senior nuclear physicist and former head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (2011–2013). Known for his hardline views, Abbasi also served as a member of parliament from 2020 to 2024. Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi – A nuclear scientist and president of Islamic Azad University in Tehran, Tehranchi was a prominent figure in Iran's academic and nuclear research community. In addition, four other scientists were reported killed in the attacks: Abdolhamid Manouchehr, Ahmad Reza Zolfaghari, Amirhossein Feghi, and Motalibizadeh. The unprecedented loss of top leadership figures marks a major escalation in the ongoing shadow war between Israel and Iran and is expected to have far-reaching implications for the region's security and nuclear diplomacy.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store