Israel destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities during October strikes: report

Israeli airstrikes in late October hit Iranian military installations and destroyed an active nuclear weapons research facility located at the Parchin military complex near Tehran, as reported by Axios, with references to US and Israeli officials.

The attack, targeting a site that was previously believed to be inactive, inflicted considerable damage on Iran's efforts in the past year to recommence nuclear weapons research, the report stated.

The facility, referred to as Taleghan 2, was part of Iran’s Amad nuclear weapons program until the country ceased its military nuclear initiatives in 2003.

As per the report, a former Israeli official mentioned that the strike obliterated advanced equipment utilized for designing plastic explosives that encase uranium in a nuclear device, a critical component for triggering it.

US and Israeli intelligence had observed renewed activity at the Taleghan 2 site earlier this year, which involved research in computer modeling, metallurgy, and explosives technology that could potentially support nuclear weapons development.

An anonymous US official told Axios that the Iranian government was employing the facility for “scientific activity that could lay the groundwork for nuclear weapon production.”

This research was reportedly conducted in a way that could be portrayed as civilian in nature.

However, Iran has consistently refuted claims of pursuing nuclear weapons.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated last week, “Iran is not after nuclear weapons, period.”

The Israeli operation on October 25 targeted crucial military locations across Iran, including Taleghan 2, situated roughly 20 miles southeast of Tehran. Satellite images from the Institute for Science and International Security verified the total destruction of the Taleghan 2 structure following the attack.