The Times of Israel November 15, 2024 Israel hit nuke weapons research site in Iran last month, set back program — report
'Much harder' for Iran to develop nukes after Parchin strike
Strike destroyed equipment used to design explosives for bomb; will have to be replaced if regime seeks to press ahead.
Israel’s airstrikes in Iran last month destroyed an active nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin, the Axios news site reported Friday, citing three US officials, one current Israeli official and one former Israeli official.
The report came as the UN nuclear watchdog prepares to vote on censuring Iran for refusing to cooperate with its inspectors
According to Axios, an Israeli strike on Parchin — part of an hours-long operation on October 26, which came in response to an earlier Iranian attack on Israel — destroyed sophisticated equipment used to design the explosives that could surround uranium in a nuclear device, significantly damaging Iran’s efforts to resume its nuclear weapons research.
The Israeli strike “will make it much harder for Iran to develop a nuclear explosive device if it chooses to do so,” Axios cited two Israeli officials saying.
Iran would need to “replace the equipment that was destroyed” if it wants to produce nuclear weapons, the report cited the Israeli officials saying, “and if Iran tries to procure it, they believe they will be able to track it,” Axios said.
