Israel Targets Arak Heavy Water Reactor and Weaponization Sites, Destroys Additional Missile Launchers in Iran

Latest Developments

• Arak (Khondab) Nuclear Reactor Struck: The IDF bombed Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor amid a wave of fresh strikes on Iran that also targeted a site used to develop nuclear weapons near Natanz and dozens of military sites. The IDF stated that it targeted the Arak reactor’s “core seal, which is a key component in plutonium production.” The strike also damaged the adjacent heavy water production plant. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the reactor had not yet been fueled, so there was no risk of radioactive contamination resulting from the strike.
• Could Produce Plutonium: A heavy water nuclear reactor produces plutonium as a byproduct that can be separated and used to fuel a nuclear weapon. Iran began construction on Arak in secret in 1997, with the intention of producing weapons-grade plutonium. As part of its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran agreed to convert the reactor to a less proliferation-sensitive design, but the IDF reports that Iran ordered the reactor not to be fully converted so as to maintain an option to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons. Concerns had remained that Tehran could revert to Arak’s original design if desired and that Iran had taken steps to ensure it could build a heavy water reactor elsewhere.
• New Strike on Weaponization Facility: The IDF struck a weaponization site in the vicinity of Natanz, which it claimed “contained components and specialized equipment used to advance nuclear weapons development.” A review of satellite imagery also indicated that another Iranian weaponization facility called Sanjarian had been destroyed. Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force continued targeting the regime’s missile launchers, with one Israeli official estimating that Israel has destroyed approximately two-thirds of Iran’s missile launchers, leaving about 100 launchers still active.

FDD Expert Response

“By targeting the Arak reactor, Israel has attempted to eliminate any future Iranian source of plutonium for nuclear weapons. There were lingering concerns about the rigor of the modifications under the 2015 nuclear deal to render the reactor’s resulting plutonium less ideal for reprocessing and use in atomic weapons or that Tehran had bypassed the restrictions by importing key equipment for another heavy water reactor.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow

“Israel has stated that the goal of its operation is to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon, and the IDF has been successfully degrading Iran’s nuclear capabilities. We should not forget how Iran failed to uphold its promise from the 2015 nuclear deal to convert the Arak reactor, allowing it to potentially resume producing nuclear weapons-grade material and build missiles that carry a nuclear warhead.” — Janatan Sayeh, Research Analyst