Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to launch military strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities has ignited widespread apprehension among global leaders, nuclear energy regulators, and experts regarding the potential risks of nuclear contamination. On Monday, Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the United Nations nuclear watchdog, highlighted the possibility of both radiological and chemical contamination stemming from the damaged Natanz installation, which serves as Iran’s primary nuclear hub.
As the Israeli strikes commenced on Friday, regional and global leaders voiced their fears that this military action could further destabilize the Middle East and heighten the risk of a nuclear confrontation. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, expressed her “deepest concern” regarding the escalating situation, emphasizing that while the EU opposes Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, it believes in resolving the matter through “diplomacy, not military action.”
Netanyahu, who has advocated for attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites for years, initiated these unprecedented strikes while nuclear talks were ongoing between Washington and Tehran. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly stated that the United States was not involved in the strikes but has reiterated his commitment to preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is intended for civilian purposes, raising questions about the implications of Israel's military actions.
During an urgent session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors in Vienna, Grossi stated that radiation levels appeared normal outside both the Natanz facility and another site in Isfahan that was also targeted. However, he cautioned that military escalation increases the risk of a radiological release. Grossi noted that while the Israeli strike on Natanz destroyed the above-ground section, the main centrifuge facility located underground might have sustained damage due to a power loss caused by the attack.
Grossi indicated that the underground centrifuges, which enrich uranium, contain a volatile and corrosive gas known as uranium hexafluoride. This gas poses a significant threat of chemical contamination at Natanz. He expressed concerns about whether any of this hazardous gas had escaped the centrifuges due to the power outage, emphasizing the need for the IAEA to receive timely and regular information about the facilities to accurately assess the radiological conditions and potential impacts on the population and the environment.
Historically, operational nuclear installations have rarely come under attack, but construction sites have often been targeted, especially in the Middle East. For instance, during the Iran-Iraq War in 1980, Iran’s Operation Scorch Sword damaged Iraq’s unfinished Osirak nuclear reactor, marking one of the first instances of a nuclear power plant being attacked. Another notable attack occurred in 1981 when Israel conducted Operation Opera, destroying the French-built reactor.
The U.S. also targeted the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Centre during Operation Desert Storm, and Israel bombed a Syrian reactor in 2007, believing it was part of a nuclear weapons program. Political motivations have also led to attacks on nuclear sites, such as the Basque separatist group ETA's actions against a nuclear power station in Spain during the late 1970s.
Experts warn that the current geopolitical climate has increased the risk of a nuclear incident. Dan Smith, the head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, noted that the greatest risks stem from the potential for miscalculations rather than direct attacks. He cited the Petrov incident in September 1983, where a Soviet engineer's refusal to report a false alarm about a U.S. missile launch helped avert a potential nuclear war.
More recently, the military conflicts between India and Pakistan, as well as the ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, have raised alarms about the potential for nuclear escalation. The situation in Ukraine became particularly concerning early in the invasion when Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, jeopardizing the safety of its reactors and raising fears of nuclear contamination.
In light of these developments, the international community remains vigilant about the implications of military actions against nuclear facilities and the ever-present risks of nuclear contamination and conflict.
