Illustrative image. (Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) on June 20 attacked air defenses in southwestern Iran, in what could be preparation for a dangerous attack on Iran’s active Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.
Iranian media reported a series of strikes near the city of Ahvaz in the southwestern Khuzestan province and close to the city of Shiraz in the southern province of Fars. Iranian air defenses were also said to have been activated in Bushehr, which is crammed between Khuzestan and Fars.
Later, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in a brief statement that the IAF struck air defenses in southwestern Iran, saying that it will “continue to operate to achieve air superiority in order to carry out its missions.”
Bushehr is Iran’s only operating nuclear reactor. It was built by Russia, which is currently providing direct support to its operations.
The latest wave of Israeli strikes may be an indication of a near attack on Bushehr. Russia has already warned such action could cause a catastrophe.
“If a strike is carried out on the operating first power unit (of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant), it will be a catastrophe comparable to Chernobyl,” Alexey Likhachev, the head of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, told reporters on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 19, according to state news agency RIA.
Stressing that such a strike would be “beyond the line between good and evil,” Likhachev said that Rosatom is monitoring the situation at the plant, including the safety of Russian specialists stationed there.
The head International Atomic Energy Agency also warned on June 20 that an attack on the reactor could trigger a regional disaster.
“Countries of the region have reached out directly to me over the past few hours to express their concerns, and I want to make it absolutely and completely clear — in case of an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity,” Rafael Grossi told the United Nations Security Council.
Addressing the growing concerns, President Vladimir Putin said on the same day that Moscow sought and received assurances from both Israel and the United States that they would ensure the safety of Russian staff working at the Iranian reactor.
Since launching Operation Rising Lion on June 13, Israel has struck multiple Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Natanz uranium enrichment plant in the central province of Isfahan, where contamination was reported, and the Arak heavy water reactor in the western province of Markazi, which was not operational and contained no radioactive materials.
Iran’s nuclear program took serious losses. However, it is still far from being over. Israel is yet to attack key facilities, like the Fordow uranium enrichment plant in the western province of Qom.
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