Israel destroyed active nuclear weapons research facility in Iran, say researchers

The Israeli attack on Iran in late October destroyed an active top secret nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin, according to reports.

An Israeli airstrike in late October targeted and destroyed the Taleghan 2 facility in Iran's Parchin military complex, believed to be a top-secret site for nuclear weapons research, according to US and Israeli officials, reported Axios. The strike - which targeted a site previously reported to be inactive - significantly damaged Iran's effort over the past year to resume nuclear weapons research, Israeli and US officials said.

It dismantled sophisticated equipment used for designing plastic explosives critical to nuclear weapons, setting back Iran's nuclear weapons capabilities.

High-resolution satellite imagery confirmed the facility was completely destroyed.

According to Reuters, the Israeli military said three waves of Israeli jets struck missile factories and other sites near Tehran and in western Iran early on Saturday in retaliation for Tehran's Oct. 1 barrage of more than 200 missiles against Israel.

Meanwhile, Iran denies pursuing nuclear weapons, but Israeli and US intelligence observed activities at Taleghan 2, including metallurgy and explosives research, that raised alarms earlier this year. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement last week that "Iran is not after nuclear weapons, period."