Israel launched a targeted military offensive on Friday aimed at Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, scientists, and senior military leadership. The operation marks one of the boldest Israeli actions against Iran in decades.
Netanyahu: “We Struck at the Head”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the mission had “struck at the head of Iran’s nuclear weaponization program.” However, U.S. intelligence assessments and other international bodies have maintained that Iran’s nuclear activities are not currently directed toward weaponization. Tehran, for its part, has consistently denied seeking a nuclear bomb.
Despite these denials, concerns remain.
Iran’s Nuclear Program: A Source of National Pride
Iran, which has spent decades building its nuclear capabilities, asserts that the program is purely for peaceful energy purposes. Officials have argued that nuclear power will help meet domestic energy demands and allow more oil to be exported.
Nonetheless, the nature of Iran’s uranium enrichment has long raised red flags. The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has noted that no other nation possesses uranium enriched to the same level as Iran without also maintaining a nuclear weapons program. This discrepancy continues to fuel skepticism about Tehran’s true intentions.
Iran has used its stockpile of weapons-grade uranium as leverage in diplomatic negotiations, indicating a willingness to relinquish it in exchange for the lifting of U.S.-led sanctions.
Origins of Iran’s Nuclear Program
Iran’s nuclear journey began in 1957 with U.S. assistance under the Atoms for Peace program, during the rule of the Shah, a pro-Western monarch. The U.S. support continued through the 1970s until the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which overthrew the Shah and established the Islamic Republic.
Since then, concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions have intensified. Although Iran is a signatory to the UN’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), pledging not to build a bomb, Western nations have remained wary.
Also Read: Israel Attacks Iran: What Is The 60-Day Deadline That President Donald Trump Is Referencing?
The Controversy Over Uranium Enrichment
The core of international concern revolves around Iran’s uranium enrichment activities. While enrichment is needed to fuel nuclear reactors, higher levels can enable the development of nuclear weapons.
In the early 2000s, inspectors discovered traces of highly enriched uranium at Natanz. Iran halted enrichment temporarily but resumed in 2006, claiming the activity was permitted under its agreement with the IAEA. This led to years of sanctions and diplomatic efforts.
The 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal
In 2015, Iran reached a historic nuclear agreement with six world powers. The deal placed strict limits on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for economic relief. Key provisions included:
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Capping uranium enrichment at 3.67% (from nearly 20%)
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Dramatically reducing its uranium stockpile
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Phasing out advanced centrifuges
For context, uranium must be enriched to around 90% for use in nuclear weapons. In contrast, power plants use uranium enriched to just 3.5–5%.
Current Status: How Close Is Iran to a Nuclear Bomb?
Although Iran has not confirmed any weaponization efforts, its technical capabilities have advanced significantly. In 2018, the U.S. withdrew from the nuclear deal under President Trump, reimposing sanctions on Tehran.
Iran responded by abandoning key commitments, resuming uranium enrichment, expanding its stockpile, and deploying more sophisticated centrifuges. Surveillance equipment installed by the IAEA was also removed.
The Biden administration attempted to revive the deal through indirect talks, but those efforts collapsed in 2022.
By 2023, the IAEA reported the discovery of uranium particles enriched to 83.7% purity at one site—approaching weapons-grade. The agency also noted that Iran had amassed 128.3 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60%, the highest level recorded at the time.
Last year, U.S. intelligence assessments indicated Iran’s “breakout time”—the period needed to produce enough fissile material for a single bomb—had shrunk to as little as one or two weeks.
Most recently, an IAEA report revealed Iran’s stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium had surged to 408 kilograms—enough, if further enriched, to potentially produce nine nuclear weapons.
Enriched Uranium: The Fuel Behind the Nuclear Bomb
Enrichment boosts the proportion of uranium-235 in natural uranium, which is mostly uranium-238 and unusable for energy or weapons. Only 0.7% of natural uranium is uranium-235.
To enrich uranium, it is first converted into gas and spun in centrifuges to separate the isotopes. Power plants require enrichment levels of around 3.67%, while nuclear weapons need enrichment up to 90%.
Iran’s current enrichment level of 60% puts it close to weapons-grade material.
Iran’s centrifuge technology has also evolved. Starting with IR-1 models in the 1980s, Iran now operates thousands of machines, including advanced versions like the IR-6 and IR-9. The Arms Control Association estimates Iran’s current centrifuge capacity could yield bomb-grade uranium in under two weeks.
Israel Strikes Iran’s Nuclear Sites and Scientists
Israel’s offensive was reportedly aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear capabilities. The Natanz facility—central to Iran’s uranium enrichment efforts—was seen in flames Friday, as verified by geolocated social media footage and state TV coverage.
Located about 250 kilometers south of Tehran, Natanz is Iran’s largest enrichment complex and a hub for centrifuge development.
According to the IAEA, other key nuclear sites—Fordow, Isfahan, and Bushehr—were not impacted.
However, Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported that six nuclear scientists were killed in the strikes.
Experts note that Iran has spent years fortifying its nuclear infrastructure against attacks. Many of its facilities are built deep underground to shield them from aerial bombardment, making a full-scale dismantling of the program highly challenging.
