What Direct Impacts Have Been Found at Iran's Natanz Nuclear Facility?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- IAEA finds direct impacts on Natanz's underground enrichment halls.
- No damage reported at Fordow; Esfahan faced significant destruction.
- Current conflict has resulted in numerous casualties on both sides.
- Israeli military actions continue against strategic Iranian targets.
- Regional stability is under threat due to escalating hostilities.
Vienna, June 17 (NationPress) New findings have emerged, revealing direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Iran's Natanz, according to the UN's nuclear oversight body on Tuesday.
This conclusion stems from ongoing assessments of high-resolution satellite imagery gathered after last Friday's attacks by Israel on Iran's nuclear installations, as noted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the social media platform X.
The IAEA further stated, No changes have been reported at the nuclear facilities located in Esfahan and Fordow.
In a statement released on Monday, the IAEA confirmed that there has been no sign of a physical strike on the underground cascade hall, which houses a section of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant and the main Fuel Enrichment Plant.
There has been no observed damage at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. However, the Esfahan site experienced damage to four structures during Friday's assault: the central chemical laboratory, a uranium conversion facility, the Tehran reactor fuel manufacturing plant, and an under-construction UF4 to EU metal processing plant. Similar to Natanz, radiation levels off-site have remained stable, as per the Monday statement.
In related news, Xinhua reported that two loud explosions were heard in central and northern Tehran on Tuesday, according to local witnesses, as Israel's offensive against the Iranian capital entered its fifth day.
No immediate details about the origin or exact locations of the explosions have been provided.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz indicated that the Israeli Air Force would be targeting critical strategic locations within Tehran. He stated that evacuation alerts would be issued to residents in areas near the intended strikes.
Regarding Iran's nuclear endeavors, Katz asserted that the underground Fordow facility is an ongoing concern that will be dealt with, claiming that Israeli forces are on the brink of dismantling more than ten nuclear-associated sites in Tehran, attributing this to the Israeli Air Force's dominance in the region.
Additionally, a fire erupted on Tuesday at the headquarters of Iranian state television in Tehran, following an Israeli strike a day prior that caused significant damage and resulted in three fatalities.
According to state television, The smoke observed at the Iranian radio and television facilities was due to a fire that reignited due to windy conditions.
The intense aerial conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic has now extended into its fifth day, resulting in at least 244 fatalities in Iran and 24 in Israel. This escalation was triggered by Israel's surprise airstrikes across Iran on Friday.