As the U.S.-Israeli-Iranian war enters its second month, Tel Aviv has opened a new phase of the conflict by striking Tehran’s nuclear facilities, in an attempt to set the nuclear program back to square one or to its early stages.
This new Israeli escalation comes despite regional efforts focused on facilitating indirect U.S.-Iran talks aimed at reaching an agreement on a ceasefire and ending the war.
Details of the Israeli Bombing of Iran’s Nuclear Facilities
In the latest development, Iranian authorities reported a new Israeli attack on the Bushehr nuclear facility. The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Saturday that Iran had reported a new attack on the Bushehr nuclear facility in the south of the country, the third in 10 days.
The agency added in a post on X, citing Iranian officials, that “there were no reports of any damage to the operating reactor or of radioactive emissions, and the situation at the facility is normal.”
The Bushehr plant — the only operating nuclear power plant in Iran — had previously been subjected to two earlier attacks on March 17 and 24 of this year, without any damage being reported.
After the second strike, Moscow announced the evacuation of its staff working at the plant, which includes two nuclear reactors. The Bushehr plant has a production capacity of 1,000 megawatts.
Israel also bombed on Friday a facility for uranium processing and the extraction of raw materials used in the enrichment process in the city of Yazd, which Bloomberg described as a “unique facility within Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.”
The Israeli raids also targeted the “yellowcake” production facility in Yazd, as yellowcake is considered an essential material before enrichment.
The Israeli bombardment also hit the Khondab heavy water complex in the Arak area of central Iran, which is considered part of the heavy-water reactor system linked to the Arak nuclear facility. The Arak heavy-water nuclear research reactor was also targeted.
On Friday, the Israeli military commented on the bombing of Yazd, saying that the raw materials needed for enrichment are processed at the Yazd facility and that targeting it represents a “major blow” to the Iranian nuclear program.
The bombing also targeted the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, where the entrance buildings to the underground facility in Isfahan province in central the country were reported damaged, while the atomic agency confirmed there was “no radiological impact.”
What Is New About the Agreement Between Tehran and Washington?
As for talks on reaching an agreement between Washington and Tehran that would lead to ending the ongoing war, informed U.S. sources revealed that a possible agreement with the Iranian side could take longer to reach.
Two sources familiar with the situation said on Saturday that the White House had secretly informed allies to expect that it would take time for the United States to reach a diplomatic agreement with Iran.
They also indicated that Washington estimates military operations in the war will continue for another two to four weeks, according to CBS News.
The two U.S. sources’ remarks came as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Friday that the war may last from two to four weeks, noting that the United States is “capable of achieving all its objectives without ground forces.”
Rubio also pointed out that Iran has not yet responded to a plan to end the war, but that it has sent, according to him, “messages” showing its interest in diplomacy.
U.S. sources reported that Vice President J.D. Vance has emerged as a pivotal player in diplomacy with Iran, while two informed sources said that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are also involved in the diplomatic track.
Witkoff said during a conference in the U.S. state of Florida on Friday that he expects possible talks with the Iranian side during the current week, though the form those talks may take remains unclear, as he did not provide any additional details.
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