Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Not Affected By Israeli Airstrikes, Says UN’s Atomic Energy Watchdog

The Israeli military had reported that its airstrikes hit targeted facilities used by Iran to produce missiles fired at Israel, as well as surface-to-air missile sites.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations atomic energy watchdog said on Saturday, that Iran's nuclear programme was not affected by Israel's deadly air strike on its military facilities.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the Israeli military had reported that its airstrikes hit targeted facilities used by Iran to produce missiles fired at Israel, as well as surface-to-air missile sites.

There was no indication that Iran’s oil or nuclear sites were hit. Iran insisted the strikes caused only “limited damage”, which the Iranian state-run media downplayed. 

"Iran's nuclear facilities have not been impacted," IAEA director general Rafael Grossi wrote on X, urging "prudence and restraint from actions that could jeopardise the safety and security of nuclear and other radioactive materials."

On Saturday, Israel attacked several military targets in Iran in retaliation for the barrage of ballistic missiles the Islamic Republic fired on Israel earlier this month. This was the first time Israel openly attacked Iran.

The restrained responses from both sides suggested at least for now that both countries are trying to avoid a more serious escalation.

But the strikes are at the risk of pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiralling violence across the Middle East, where militant groups backed by Iran — including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — are already at war with Israel.

According to AP,  the state-run IRNA news agency reported that 4 people were killed, all military personnel. Iran’s military said the strike targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces. The powerful paramilitary Revolution Guard — which controls Iran’s extensive ballistic missile arsenal — remained silent, leaving uncertainty about whether any of its bases were impacted by the strikes. 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a statement posted to X, gave his condolences to the families of the dead and warned against future attacks. 

“Enemies of Iran should know these brave people are standing fearlessly in defense of their land and will respond to any stupidity with tact and intelligence,” he wrote.