Israel blamed for attack on Iranian nuclear site

 Israel has been launching more attacks against Iran in recent weeks including the Natanz nuclear enrichment site. Even though the nuclear program is civilian in nature Israel attacks it anyway no doubt believing the program can turn military.

Two alleged Israeli attacks

According to the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jareeda citing an anonymous senior source an Israeli cyberattack caused a recent fire and explosion at the largely underground Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.

The New York TImes reported: "A Middle Eastern intelligence official with knowledge of the episode said Israel was responsible for the attack on the Natanz nuclear complex on Thursday, using a powerful bomb. A member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps who was briefed on the matter also said an explosive was used." The Times wrote a followup article in which it attributed the attack to Israel. The attack was expected to set the Iranian program back about two months.

In a much earlier act of sabotage the US and Israel used a virus STUXNET to destroy centrifuges in the Iranian nuclear program.

The second attack attributed to Israel was against a missile production facility. Israeli F-35 stealth fighter jets bombed a site located in the Parchin area where there is believed to be a missile production complex. Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah have been using a large number of more sophisticated rockets and missiles in their arsenals.

Israel said to be alert for Iranian retaliation

So far the Iranians have not responded to Israeli attacks. Israel seems to be concentrating upon further attacks especially on nuclear facilities as it appears to suffer no punishment for doing so. Both the US and Israel have launched attacks on Iranian targets outside the country as in Syria, and the US has attacked Iranian-supported militia in Iraq, some of whom are actually part of the Iraqi armed forces and even funded by the Iraqi government.

Natanz site under IAEA

For some time Iran denied that the Natanz facility existed but it was eventually revealed. Iran then explained that the facility was to enrich uranium to supply a Russian-built nuclear reactor that would provide electricity for the port city of Bushehr. In 2009. However, now international inspections are allowed. However, in 2009 American, UK, and Israeli intelligence claim that in a village near the holy city of Qom Iran has constructed a new secret uranium enrichment plant.

Previously published in the Digital Journal