Israel said its fighter jets targeted the core seal to prevent the site from being used to develop nuclear weapons.
Israel launched an airstrike Thursday on Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, a site tied to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
The reactor, located southwest of Tehran, has never gone online but is capable of producing plutonium — a potential fuel for nuclear weapons.
Israel said its fighter jets targeted the core seal to prevent the site from being used to develop nuclear weapons. “The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,” the Israeli military stated.
Iran confirmed two projectiles struck the site but gave no damage details. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed no nuclear material was present, minimizing radiological risk.
The Arak reactor was part of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal, which aimed to reduce proliferation risks. Work on redesigning it stalled after the U.S. exited the agreement in 2018. Iran later admitted replacing concrete-filled parts. Due to limited access, the IAEA said it lost “continuity of knowledge” regarding Iran’s heavy water activities.