Israel’s air campaign deals direct blow to Iran’s Natanz facility, IAEA reveals

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility have caused “direct impacts” on the site’s underground centrifuge halls.

This marks the first formal assessment by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog of damage sustained in the subterranean sections of Natanz, the principal hub of Iran’s nuclear program, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

“Based on continued analysis of high resolution satellite imagery collected after Friday’s attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz. No change to report at Esfahan and Fordow,” the agency stated on its X account.

Prior to this, an above-ground enrichment hall and critical electrical infrastructure powering the facility had already been destroyed.

These strikes are part of a broader Israeli air campaign launched five days ago, aimed at crippling Iran’s military capabilities and nuclear ambitions. Israel asserts that the offensive—targeting top military commanders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile programs—is essential to prevent Tehran from advancing toward the development of nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military continued its bombardment of Iranian targets on June 17, as tensions escalated further. US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning, urging residents of Tehran to evacuate immediately. Earlier, the Israeli Defence Forces called for approximately 330,000 inhabitants of a central Tehran neighborhood to leave the area. Tehran, one of the largest cities in the Middle East, has a population of roughly 10 million—comparable to Israel’s entire population—prompting mass displacement since the onset of hostilities.

Since the strikes began, at least 224 Iranians have been killed. In retaliation, Iran has launched over 370 missiles and hundreds of drones into Israeli territory, resulting in 24 Israeli casualties to date. The Israeli military confirmed that a fresh wave of missile attacks was launched on June 17, with explosions audible in northern Israel, further intensifying the conflict that threatens regional stability.

By Vafa Guliyeva