TEHRAN: Israel has promised retaliation for an Iranian missile attack. Iran’s nuclear facilities could be potential targets.
Iran attacked Israel with around 180 missiles on Tuesday evening. According to the Israeli army, a “large number” of these missiles were intercepted. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced retaliatory measures.
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Following the previous Iranian attack on Israel in April 2024, Israel responded with an air strike against Iran. An airbase in the central Iranian province of Isfahan, where the Natanz uranium enrichment plant is located, is said to have been hit.
Israel views the Iranian nuclear weapons programme as an existential threat. The New York Times reported, citing US officials, that Israel could target Iran’s nuclear facilities in a possible response scenario, focusing on uranium enrichment facilities in Natanz. This facility is considered to be the core of Iran’s nuclear programme.
To reach Iranian nuclear facilities, Israeli missiles would have to cross the airspace of third countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia or Iraq. However, Israel has already shown that it is capable of carrying out attacks on distant targets.
Iran has spread its nuclear facilities over a number of sites and built some in underground bunkers, making it more difficult to destroy them completely.
Here is an overview of Iran’s nuclear facilities:
Natanz
Located around 300 kilometers (180 miles) south of Tehran in the province of Isfahan, Natanz is the main center for uranium enrichment in Iran. Centrifuges are operated there that enrich uranium for civilian and, potentially, military purposes.
The facility is housed in underground bunkers to protect it from airstrikes. Natanz has been the target of several acts of sabotage attributed to Israel, including the use of the Stuxnet virus, explosions and power outages. The facility’s air defense system was reportedly disabled in April.
Isfahan
The Nuclear Technology Center in the city of Isfahan is a uranium processing plant that prepares the radioactive material for enrichment. Here, uranium oxide, also known as “yellowcake,” is converted into uranium tetrafluoride (UF4) and uranium hexafluoride (UF6). This chemical compound is used in centrifuges for uranium enrichment.
Saghand
This uranium mine is located in the desert region of Yazd province, around 200 kilometers northeast of the city of Yazd. The mine is one of the few known uranium mining sites in Iran and supplies the raw uranium that is used for the country’s nuclear programme.
Bushehr
This first civilian nuclear power plant in Iran is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf in southern Iran and is used to generate electricity. It is not used for military purposes.
Tehran
Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) is a research reactor in Tehran and is mainly used for the production of medical radioisotopes, which are used in cancer treatment and nuclear medicine diagnostics. The TRR played a central role during the negotiations on the nuclear agreement, as it could be used not only for medical purposes, but also potentially for military applications if highly enriched uranium were used.
Parchin
This facility, about 30 kilometers southeast of Tehran, officially serves as a test site for conventional weapons and missiles. However, there are reports suggesting that activities related to the development of nuclear weapons may also be taking place in Parchin.
Karaj
Near the city of Karaj, about 40 kilometers west of Tehran, there is a research center for nuclear technologies in the fields of agriculture and medicine. According to reports, this facility could also be used for the production and development of centrifuges for uranium enrichment. In June 2021, the facility was the target of a sabotage attempt, which, according to Iranian sources, was unsuccessful.
Qom
The so-called Fordo facility is located around 160 kilometers south of Tehran near the city of Qom. It is housed in a mountain to protect it from air attacks. Highly enriched uranium is produced here.
Arak
In the city of Arak, around 240 kilometers west of Tehran, there is a heavy water reactor.
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This reactor could produce plutonium suitable for the construction of nuclear weapons. However, following the 2015 nuclear agreement, the reactor was modified to rule out this possibility.