Israeli defense officials believe damage to major facility is significant, while other enrichment facility at Fordo, nuclear sites in Isfahan, Busheir reportedly not targeted
THE TIMES OF ISRAELEmanuel FabianAgencies13 June 2025
Irans Natanz facility for uranium enrichment was hit byIsraeli airstrikestargeting the Islamic Republics nuclear program early Friday, with Israeli defense officials assessing the damage was significant.
According to the military, the Israeli Air Force strikes destroyed the underground section of the site, which housed a multi-level enrichment hall housing centrifuges, electrical rooms, and other supporting infrastructure.
The strikes also destroyed critical infrastructure enabling the sites continued operation and advancement of the Iranian regimes nuclear weapons project.
Natanz is Irans largest uranium enrichment site, which the IDF says has been working toward the development of nuclear weapons for years, and contains the infrastructure required for enrichment to a military-grade level.
Footage circulating online earlier showedheavy strikesat the site, which, in addition to its underground site, also includes an above-ground pilot enrichment plant.
Irans atomic energy authorities said the attack damaged several parts of the facility, but that no increase in radiation levels or chemical contamination had been observed at Natanz.
This image grab taken from footage broadcast by Irans IRINN news on June 13, 2025 shows what the television described as smoke billowing from explosions in Natanz after Israel announced it had carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites (IRINN / AFP)
In a statement citing local authorities, the UNs International Atomic Energy Agency said that Irans only nuclear power plant in the southern port city of Bushehr had not been targeted.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, in a statement to a meeting of the watchdogs board of governors, said the other main enrichment center in Iran, Fordo, was not hit, and neither was another nuclear facility in Isfahan, citing Iranian authorities.
Grossi said he was ready to travel to Iran to assess the situation there.
I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation. I reiterate that any military action that jeopardizes the safety and security of nuclear facilities risks grave consequences for the people of Iran, the region, and beyond, Grossi said in his statement.
I have indicated to the respective authorities my readiness to travel at the earliest to assess the situation and ensure safety, security and non-proliferation in Iran.
Iran is enriching to up to 60 percent purity, close to the roughly 90% of weapons grade, at the pilot plant, but it is producing smaller quantities of that material there than at Fordo, a site dug into a mountain that military experts have said would be difficult for Israel to destroy through bombardment.
This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows Irans Natanz nuclear site,on April 14, 2023. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
Despite the current military actions and heightened tensions, it is clear that the only sustainable path forward for Iran, for Israel, the entire region, and the international community is one grounded in dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace, stability, and cooperation, Grossi said.
Jerusalem said Friday it had engaged in a precise, preemptive strike against Iran overnight, declaring an imminent threat from its nuclear program and announcing a domestic state of emergency as citizens braced for retaliation. Top officials warned of a potential prolonged conflict, noting that Tehran had the power to inflict significant pain upon Israel.