Israel Strikes Iran’s Arak Reactor in Major Escalation

News Desk

Islamabad: Israel’s military has confirmed that it conducted airstrikes overnight targeting Iran’s Arak heavy water nuclear reactor, marking a major escalation in tensions between the two nations. In an official statement, Israeli forces said they struck multiple sites across Iran, including key nuclear and missile production facilities.

A primary target was the IR-40 reactor near Arak—a 40-megawatt heavy water facility central to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. According to Israel, the airstrike focused on damaging the reactor’s core seal, a vital component in the potential production of weapons-grade plutonium.

The military also claimed to have hit a “nuclear weapons development site” in Natanz, along with several factories involved in ballistic missile component manufacturing.

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Iranian state television acknowledged the strike on the Arak site but assured there was “no radiation danger whatsoever.” The report added that the facility had already been evacuated after Israel publicly warned civilians in nearby areas to leave earlier in the day.

Construction of the Arak reactor began in 2004, with initial plans for operation in 2014. Though progress has been delayed, Iran recently informed the UN nuclear watchdog of its intent to activate the reactor by next year.

This airstrike follows a series of cross-border hostilities and intensifies fears of a wider regional conflict. The international community has voiced increasing alarm over the growing instability.