The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran’s nuclear facility in Isfahan was not affected by Israeli airstrikes carried out early Friday morning. Communication with Iranian officials also verified that the Fordow fuel enrichment plant remains unharmed, and there has been no rise in radiation levels at any known nuclear sites.
The Bushehr nuclear power plant was likewise not impacted, according to the agency.
Reports had suggested that Israeli fighter jets targeted the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, Iran’s key nuclear site, during a wide-scale assault. While Iranian media and eyewitnesses reported explosions near Natanz, the IAEA says there is currently no indication of nuclear contamination.
The strikes come as part of what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called “Operation Rising Lion”—a prolonged military campaign aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear weapons program, ballistic missile capabilities, and military command structure.
“Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival,” Netanyahu said in a recorded message. “This operation will continue for as many days as it takes.”
An Israeli military official stated that “dozens” of nuclear and military targets were struck, including facilities at Natanz, and claimed Iran has accumulated enough enriched material to produce up to 15 nuclear bombs in a matter of days.
Additionally, Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, has reportedly carried out covert sabotage operations inside Iran, targeting missile infrastructure and air defense systems, according to a senior official cited by Axios.
The operation has escalated regional tensions, with Israel declaring a state of emergency amid fears of Iranian retaliation through missile or drone attacks.
