Israel Struck Iran's Nuclear Weapon Sites, Delaying Program

Israel and the United States prioritized targeting Iran's nuclear weaponization infrastructure over existing enrichment facilities during recent military operations, according to an Institute for Science and International Security analysis released on May 9. Satellite imagery analysis revealed that facilities related to the development of nuclear weapons, including the Min Zadai complex described by the IDF as an underground "nuclear headquarters" and the Taleghan 2 site within Iran's Parchin military complex, were among the primary targets during Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury. The ISIS analysis identified at least seven targeted sites connected to nuclear weaponization, including Tehran's Malek Ashtar University, which the IDF directly linked to nuclear weapons development, and Imam Hussein University, which hosts an underground IRGC weapons research complex. According to the institute, the destruction of these key weaponization sites likely significantly extended the timeline for Iran's production of nuclear weapons. Notably, Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities that were already damaged in the June 2025 strikes received little additional harm during the recent operations. In related news, Israel established a secret military base in a remote area of the Iraqi desert to support airstrikes during the conflict, according to a Wall Street Journal report. IDF troops occupied the outpost, which housed Air Force special forces and served as a logistics facility, shortly before Operation Roaring Lion began in February. On March 4, Iraqi troops nearly discovered the base after a local shepherd reported unusual activity, prompting the IDF to conduct airstrikes against the approaching Iraqi military, resulting in one Iraqi soldier killed. Baghdad subsequently condemned the incident and filed a complaint with the United Nations.