The IDF confirmed Friday afternoon that it had carried out a strike on Iran’s Natanz nuclear complex earlier that morning, claiming the mission destroyed several subterranean levels of the site. Among the targets hit was the main hall housing a significant concentration of uranium-enriching centrifuges.
Reports also indicated that a second wave of strikes targeted the same site later that day, intensifying Israel’s offensive against Iran’s nuclear program.
According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, Natanz is the most critical facility in Iran for enriching uranium. Unlike smaller installations, Natanz is capable of refining uranium to the high levels needed for nuclear weapons, not just for peaceful purposes.
The military said Natanz has been “operating for years to achieve nuclear weapons and contains the necessary infrastructure for military-grade enrichment.”
The initial strikes reportedly penetrated the underground portions of the site, specifically targeting a multi-level section used for enrichment processes. That area contains centrifuge halls, electrical systems, and other operational structures.
The Israel Air Force was also able to destroy “vital infrastructure” that the military described as essential to the facility’s ongoing nuclear development efforts and its overall ability to operate.
Natanz has seen previous incidents of sabotage. In July 2020, significant damage was inflicted on one of its nuclear buildings, and in April 2021, another strike reportedly affected underground systems and power grids. Iran has pointed the finger at the Mossad for those incidents.
It remains uncertain how the latest damage compares to those earlier attacks, though the impact from Friday’s operation appears to have been even more extensive.
While the IDF is believed to have the means to inflict damage at the heavily fortified Fordow nuclear site, no military sources have confirmed any operation there as of now.
Since the U.S. deployed the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb — also known as the “Mother of All Bombs” — in Afghanistan in 2017, it’s been clear that America maintains advanced bunker-busting capabilities far beyond what Israel currently possesses. This includes the ability to potentially reach deep underground facilities like Fordow.
What remains unclear is the extent to which Iran’s 60% enriched uranium stockpile or advanced centrifuges were affected by the Israeli assault. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has acknowledged that significant quantities of both are housed at Fordow and other scattered locations.
There were also unverified reports of explosions at Fordow and Isfahan. These blasts may have originated from within the facilities, as Iran’s nuclear infrastructure has been subject to internal sabotage in the past.
{Matzav.com Israel}
