An Israeli security official said today (Friday) that the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz—one of the main targets in the Israeli operation on Iranian soil—was completely destroyed. This was Iran’s most important nuclear installation, the core of the Islamic Republic’s uranium enrichment program.
The vast facility is located about 220 kilometers southeast of Tehran, in the heart of Iran’s central plateau. The complex included many above-ground structures, but its main enrichment infrastructure was housed in deep underground systems built over the years as part of Iran’s efforts to conceal and protect its nuclear program.
Networks of advanced centrifuges
The compound housed advanced centrifuge arrays operating in a “cascade” system, where hundreds of devices functioned simultaneously. Some of the centrifuges reached enrichment levels close to those needed for nuclear weapons production. It is believed that this equipment was also destroyed in the strike.
Reports in recent years indicated that Iran had been digging tunnels deep into a nearby mountain called Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā, located just south of the site. The apparent goal of the excavation was to establish an additional nuclear infrastructure inside the mountain, providing greater protection from airstrikes. According to security sources, this area also suffered extensive damage.
