Israel’s military has confirmed it carried out airstrikes targeting Iran’s Arak heavy water nuclear reactor overnight, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two countries. According to an official statement, Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of sites across Iran, including what it described as key nuclear and missile production facilities.
Among the primary targets was the IR-40 reactor, a 40-megawatt thermal heavy water facility near Arak, part of Iran’s nuclear complex. The Israeli military claimed to have specifically targeted “the structure of the reactor’s core seal,” a critical component in the production of plutonium, which could be used in nuclear weapons.
The statement also noted strikes on a “nuclear weapons development site” in Natanz and several factories involved in producing components for ballistic missiles.
Iranian state television confirmed the strike on the Arak site but stated there was “no radiation danger whatsoever.” The report said the facility had been evacuated in advance following Israel’s public warning earlier in the day, which urged residents near the site to leave the area.
Construction of the Arak reactor began in 2004, with plans to commence operations in 2014. Although delays have pushed back full activation, Tehran recently notified the UN nuclear watchdog that it intended to begin operating the facility by next year.
This latest development comes amid rising hostilities and follows days of cross-border attacks and airstrikes between the two countries. The international community has expressed growing concern over the potential for broader regional destabilization.
