Despite a dramatic escalation in Middle East tensions following Israel’s major military operation against Iran early Friday, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has confirmed that Iran’s core nuclear sites remain intact.
In a statement on Friday evening, the IAEA said it had found “no damage” or “increase in radiation levels” at Iran’s nuclear facility in Natanz, one of the primary targets claimed by Israel in its strikes.
The agency also confirmed that Isfahan's nuclear site had not been impacted by the bombardment, nor had the Fordo underground enrichment site or the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which sits along the Persian Gulf coast.
Israel launches Operation Rising Lion
The IAEA’s update comes hours after Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran, marking a turning point in the long-standing shadow war between the two rivals. The strikes, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dubbed "Operation Rising Lion," were aimed at Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, including the Natanz uranium enrichment plant and facilities tied to Iran’s ballistic missile programme.
According to Netanyahu, the attack was in response to what he described as an "imminent threat" from Tehran’s nuclear programme. He claimed Iran had enriched enough uranium for nine atomic bombs and was taking steps toward weaponisation.
Iran has repeatedly denied that its nuclear programme is aimed at building a weapon, insisting it is for peaceful purposes. US intelligence assessments have also suggested that Iran is not actively developing a nuclear bomb, although it has the technical capacity to do so.
Key Iranian figures reported Killed
While the IAEA confirmed that nuclear facilities appear not impacted, the Israeli strikes have had a devastating impact on Iran’s military leadership. Iranian state media reported the assassination of Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard, as well as the deaths of two top nuclear scientists. Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s armed forces chief, was also reported to have died in the attack.
Images from Tehran showed significant damage in residential neighborhoods, including burning buildings, blown-out walls, and shattered windows, suggesting that the strikes reached deep into Iran’s capital.