JERUSALEM — Israeli forces conducted strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in the latest phase of military operations against Iran, targeting key sites involved in the country's uranium enrichment program.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the operation, stating that aircraft struck elements at the Natanz uranium enrichment complex in central Iran and the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant near Qom. Both facilities are underground or heavily fortified sites central to Iran's nuclear activities. Israeli officials described the strikes as necessary to degrade Iran's capacity to produce enriched uranium.
The action forms part of the broader conflict that began on Feb. 28 with joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military infrastructure, air defenses, missile production sites and senior leadership. Earlier operations damaged facilities on Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf, though main oil loading infrastructure remained largely intact. Iranian responses have included missile launches and disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade.
Natanz, located southeast of Kashan in Isfahan Province, serves as Iran's main uranium enrichment site with both above-ground and underground components. Fordow, built into a mountain near Qom, functions as a fortified enrichment facility. Preliminary assessments from regional monitoring indicate damage to access points and support infrastructure at the sites, though full extent of impact on deeply buried sections remains unclear. The Bushehr nuclear power plant on the Persian Gulf coast was not targeted in these strikes.
The strikes coincide with ongoing Israeli ground operations in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah positions and Houthi missile launches from Yemen toward Israel. The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands across the region and caused hundreds of reported casualties from military actions, according to preliminary data from involved parties and international observers.
Diplomatic efforts continue in parallel. Pakistan is hosting talks in Islamabad with officials from several regional countries to seek a ceasefire and restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Indirect communications between the United States and Iran have occurred through intermediaries, but no agreement has been reached.
As of Monday, Israeli military operations persisted on multiple fronts. U.S. forces, including thousands of additional Marines deployed to the Gulf region, maintained a heightened posture in support of regional stability and shipping security. No immediate Iranian retaliation to the latest nuclear site strikes was reported.
