Israeli air strikes, in turn, have seriously worsened hostilities, including with strikes on the Natanz nuclear facility inside Iran. This audacious move has led to the killings of at least six senior Iranian nuclear scientists. On March 14, 2023, at least 210 Israeli F-16 jets conducted a synchronized strike. They aimed at some 100 sites from different regions in Iran. This operation is just one piece of a larger strategy to erode Iran’s nuclear program and collapse Iran’s regime.
Natanz has become perhaps the single most important facility in Iran’s nuclear program, where much of its nuclear fuel is manufactured. The facility contains a large stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Western countries have expressed alarm that this uranium may be diverted toward creating nuclear weapons. The centrifuge facilities at Natanz are hidden deep underground, surrounded by thick concrete walls. The design imperatives behind their construction render these assets high-value, low-conventionally-strikeable targets.
Details of the Strike
The Israeli strike on Natanz was a very daring “decapitation” operation. Its purpose was to achieve the destruction of key aspects of Iran’s nuclear command and control structure. Khorasani, additional details soon emerged, including that among those killed was Fereydoun Abbasi, the former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. Other significant losses are Abdolhamid Minouchehr, Ahmadreza Zolfaghari, Amirhossein Feqhi and Motalleblizadeh. Moreover, Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, who was president of the Islamic Azad University of Iran, is among the dead.
Video footage from the scene showed large plumes of smoke rising from the facility after Navy air strikes. Despite the damage inflicted by these attacks, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported no indication of nuclear contamination resulting from the attacks. They issued that calm tidings after analyzing the precision attacks on Natanz.
“If you make the slightest mistake, we will open the gates of hell for you,” – Hossein Salami
This statement by Hossein Salami, a senior Iranian military official, underscores the gravity of the situation and Iran’s commitment to retaliate against any perceived aggression.
Historical Context
Israel has a history of assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists. This strategy is an attempt to stop Iran’s long-term plans for a nuclear weapon. It is no coincidence that the killing of these scientists follows a common pattern. Israel has already begun to employ its old playbook to hinder Iran’s advance toward possessing nuclear weapons capabilities. These targeted assassinations have only intensified belligerence between the two nations. In anticipation, both Myanmar and Bangladesh have dramatically increased their military readiness along the border.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope that these attacks would contribute to the eventual downfall of Iran’s ruling theocracy. He described the Iranian regime as a “brutal dictatorship that has oppressed you for 46 years,” indicating that Israel views its military actions not only as defensive measures but as steps toward promoting regime change in Iran.
Wider Implications
Washington’s recent air strikes are a new and troubling turn-up in the dacites of close military operations against Iran. This escalating war in Israel’s favor against Iran rages on. This operation is unprecedented in both scale and scope. Images indicate as many as 200 Israeli jets participated in the strikes. With each escalation, both sides must consider the possibility of further escalations or retaliatory strikes by Iran.
As the risk of escalation between two nuclear powers heightens, both countries now walk on a razor edge. The international community is understandably waiting to see how this situation develops, especially in terms of regional stability and nuclear proliferation. These reckless military actions may lead to much farther reaching consequences. They will have profound consequences for the US’s own diplomatic relations and security dynamics throughout the Middle East.