Israel-Iran War: How did Israel develop nuclear weapons, and how many bombs does it have now? Why it is called ‘Undeclared Nuclear Power’?

New Delhi: In a dramatic turn of events during the twelfth day of the Iran-Israel war, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that a complete ceasefire had been agreed upon between the two nations. Trump took to Truth Social to declare an end to the conflict, stating that Israel and Iran had both agreed to a ceasefire. The US president described the 12-day war as one that could have “destroyed the entire Middle East” but was instead coming to a peaceful close.

The issue of nuclear weapons was at the heart of the decades-long conflict between Iran, Israel, and other Western nations. According to Israel, if Iran acquires nuclear weapons, it would pose a threat to its very existence. This is why Israel is determined not to let Iran become a nuclear-armed nation.

However, it is important to note that Israel itself is a nuclear power. This raises important questions—how did Israel develop nuclear weapons, when did the world become aware of it, and how many nuclear bombs does Israel currently possess?

How many nuclear weapons does Israel have?

Israel has always been known as ‘undeclared nuclear power’ since the country never officially admitted to possessing nuclear weapons, nor has it ever denied having them. This is the reason why it is difficult to estimate the exact number of nuclear weapons Israel possesses. According to the Federation of American Scientists and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Israel currently possesses around 90 nuclear weapons.

Some people believe that Israel has as many nuclear bombs as India and Pakistan. This belief gained traction after a leaked email from former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in which he reportedly stated that Israel has 200 nuclear bombs, all aimed at Iran.

How did Israel develop nuclear weapons?

It is important to note that Israel is one the countries in the world that has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Notably, Israel’s nuclear program and its capabilities remain largely ambiguous, and the world has very limited information about them.

Here are some of the important details:

  • Soon after gaining independence, Israel established the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission in 1952
  • Some are of the opinion that by 1958, Israel had begun building nuclear weapons near the city of Dimona
  • Israel had secretly developed the capability to produce nuclear explosives by 1967
  • Even the United States became convinced that Israel possessed nuclear weapons by 1973
  • The materials Israel needed to build a nuclear bomb were secretly sold to it by the same countries that are now part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
  • These countries also turned a blind eye to the fact that Israel could use those materials to develop nuclear weapons.

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