IAEA: Israel strikes Iran’s Esfahan uranium conversion site

IAEA: Israel strikes Iran’s Esfahan uranium conversion site

In a significant escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Israel launched a preemptive airstrike targeting Iran’s Esfahan uranium conversion site early Friday morning. The attack, part of what the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” aimed to disrupt Iran’s nuclear program and was executed despite the U.S. not being involved [1].

The strike on Esfahan, located some 215 miles southeast of Tehran, was part of a broader offensive that saw Israel target multiple Iranian nuclear facilities, including Natanz and Fordo, as well as senior military commanders and research scientists. The IDF claimed that the operation was a response to Iran’s “significant progress” in achieving nuclear capability, which it described as an existential threat [1].

The airstrikes prompted Iran to retaliate with a barrage of missiles, with the IDF’s Iron Dome missile defense system intercepting most of the incoming projectiles. U.S. officials confirmed that the United States assisted Israel in intercepting the Iranian missiles [1].

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had recently censured Iran for not cooperating with its inspectors, leading Iran to announce plans to establish a third enrichment site and swap out centrifuges for more advanced ones. The IAEA’s concerns were underscored by a confidential report that Iran had increased its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium [1].

The Israeli strikes come as President Trump urged Iran to “make a deal, before there is nothing left” and to agree to new restrictions on its nuclear program. Steve Witkoff, the president’s Middle East envoy, was set to hold a sixth round of talks with Iran in the Gulf state of Oman on Sunday [1].

The attack on Esfahan is the latest in a series of escalations between Israel and Iran, with both countries pledging further attacks in the coming days. The UN has warned that the ongoing conflict could have “enormous global consequences” [2].

References:
[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israeli-airstrikes-iran-nuclear-sites-what-we-know/
[2] https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-israel-attacks-iran/