Tit-for-Tat: Israel's Assault on Iran's Nuclear Infrastructure
Israel has reportedly launched a strike on Iranian nuclear sites. - Focused objective: Disrupting Iran's nuclear sites, as exemplified by Fordo, by Israeli military action.
Hey there, pal!
In a whirlwind of chaos, Israel hasn't held back its punches against key elements of Iran's nuclear program. mysteriously, the hidden gem, Fordo, remains operational. What targets have been taken out, and why is Fordo still standing tall?
Fordo
Israeli officials have publicly declared that Fordo, tucked away near Qom, is the most crucial target to prevent Iran from producing a nuclear weapon. "By the end of this entire operation, Fordo has got to be taken out," Israel's ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, announced on Fox News.
At Fordo, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) points to hundreds of centrifuges churning away at supersonic speeds, producing nearly weapons-grade uranium with up to 60% purity. Iran's government claims it isn't pursuing a nuclear arsenal. But it's the only country without nuclear weapons that generates this material, according to the IAEA in Vienna. Iran was estimated to have around 409 kilograms of it at last count.
To make a nuclear warhead, about 42 kilograms would be enough (if further enriched to 90% weapons-grade). As the IAEA reports, Iran had plans to ramp up Fordo's production capacity.
The underground enrichment facility is buried deep within a mountain, making it almost unreachable. According to former high-ranking U.S. security official Brett McGurk, Israel's military would struggle to destroy Fordo, but the United States has the tools to do so.
Only the U.S. possesses a suitable weapon, the mammoth and precision-guided GBU-57 bunker-buster. The bomb, weighing 13.6 tons, smashes its way through with the force of its own weight, developed specifically for destroying targets deep underground. Israel has less potent bunker-busting weapons, requiring multiple bombs dropped sequentially to achieve similar results. But the logistical and operational demands of such a mission are daunting.
Natanz
The IAEA states that Iran's second enrichment facility in Natanz has been significantly damaged. Like Fordo, it was producing uranium with up to 60% purity. Initially, the IAEA reported that Israel had targeted the aboveground part of the site. However, satellite images now suggest that the underground area of Natanz has also been attacked, although confirmation came from the IAEA on X.
The radiation contamination inside the facility is dangerous, IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi cautioned. Outside the targeted areas, radiation levels are normal, he reported on Monday.
Nuclear Center Isfahan
Multiple facilities within the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center have been affected. The IAEA's Grossi has confirmed that a chemistry lab, a uranium ore processing plant, and a reactor fuel manufacturing plant have been damaged. An ongoing uranium metal production plant was also reportedly targeted in Isfahan, a material necessary for certain reactors and potentially for nuclear weapons.
Reactor Arak
So far, the under-construction heavy water reactor in Arak has managed to remain unscathed, according to IAEA reports.
Nuclear Power Plant Bushehr
Iran's only nuclear power plant has not seen any action, IAEA reports state.
- Iran
- Qom
- IAEA
- Isfahan
- Nuclear Program
- Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant
- Natanz
- Arak
- Bushehr
- USA
- Washington
- Fox News
- Tehran
[Sources and Additional Insights]:
- Israel has carried out extensive strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, targeting multiple facilities and key leadership figures since June 12-13, 2025. Iran’s uranium enrichment capacity at Natanz has been severely impacted, while facilities at Esfahan and other locations have also been hit[1][2][3].
- Speculation suggests Israel unsuccessfully targeted Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, which remains fortified and largely operational due to its extensive underground protection[1].
- The campaign aims to impose immediate setbacks and long-term damage to Iran’s nuclear aspirations while limiting Iran’s ability to retaliate promptly[1][2].
- The Commission, being privy to the negotiations on the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union, might find it prudent to address the ongoing war-and-conflicts in the Middle East, particularly the tensions between Israel and Iran, given their recent escalation in political and general news.
- The negotiations on the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union, while primarily focused on economic and political integration, may also provide an opportunity to discuss potential collaborative steps to de-escalate the war-and-conflicts between Israel and Iran, thereby promoting regional stability and security.
