WASHINGTON, USA: Recent Israeli airstrikes have garnered significant attention following assessments by American researchers indicating that crucial facilities linked to Iran’s missile production and nuclear development were targeted.
On Saturday, Israeli jets struck locations in Parchin and Khojir, two military complexes near Tehran. According to Reuters the strikes were a response to Iran’s missile barrage on Israel earlier this month, which involved over 200 missiles aimed at Israeli territory.
David Albright, a former UN weapons inspector and head of the Institute for Science and International Security, noted that the strikes damaged several key structures associated with Iran’s defunct nuclear weapons program, specifically the Taleghan 2 building, previously used for testing under the Amad Plan.
Although Iran officially shuttered this program in 2003, the continued relevance of such sites is significant for future nuclear weapons capabilities. Albright’s insights were corroborated by commercial satellite imagery that showed damage to multiple buildings within the Parchin complex, including facilities where solid fuel for missiles was mixed.
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Decker Eveleth, an associate research analyst at CNA, provided further context, explaining that the Israeli strikes were not only aimed at disrupting Iran’s current capabilities but also at hindering its ability to produce missiles in the long term.
He emphasized that the equipment targeted, particularly the solid-fuel mixers, are complex and difficult to replace. This operation is seen as a calculated move by Israel to limit Iran’s military advancements, especially its missile exports to Russia.
The implications of these strikes are profound, as they could alter the balance of military power in the region.
