Will Iran strike Israel's nuclear reactor in Dimona? Iranian MP's warning stokes fears

The US attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, including the underground Fordow nuclear facility, has triggered speculations about whether IRGC could target Israel's nuclear facility at Dimona. The Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Centre, located in the Southern Israeli city of Dimona, was set up in 1958.

 "The nuclear reactor in Dimona could become our legitimate target if the conflict escalates to a new level," a high-level Iranian official reportedly told Al Jazeera. He also warned that Iranian attacks against Israeli targets were very effective. "We have more advanced missiles than those we have used so far and there is no doubt that we will use them. The IRGC has precise information about Israel's stock of interceptor missiles. The forces are planning their attacks to empty its stock of interceptor missiles," he added.

Keeping in mind Iranian retaliation, Israel's Home Front Command announced that it has tightened restrictions to the highest level.  As part of the changes, it was decided to move all regions of the country from a partial and limited activity rating to a necessary-only activity rating. 

Though there were reports that Iran launched missiles at the Dimona reactor, there was no confirmation from the Israeli authorities. Though Israel classifies Dimona as a power-generating nuclear reactor, there are speculations that it can produce nuclear weapons.

While Israel denies that it possesses nuclear weapons, it is widely believed that it has at least 90 warheads in its arsenal. 

Declassified US and British intelligence reports show that the country obtained weapons-grade plutonium from Argentina in the 1960’s. This has only fuelled the speculation that the centre was doing more than just "research" and was actually building nuclear weapons. Israel has gone to great lengths to keep shut its mouth on its possession of nuclear weapons, even going as far as suspending its heritage minister Amichi Eliyahu from the cabinet for suggesting to "drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza"  in 2023.

Israel has also not signed the International Non-Proliferation Treaty;  one of five countries that have not done so. It, however, stated that it won't be "the first to introduce nuclear weapons into the Middle East.' However, there had been reports that Israel was testing its weapons at underground sites, said the New York Times. Satellite photos of the nuclear centre have shown that new construction and repairs have taken place at the nuclear centre at Dimona.

Middle East