The United States attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran. The operation was successful, according to President Donald Trump, in a post at Truth Social.
“We were successful in our attack on three nuclear plants in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. All planes are already out of Iranian airspace,” Trump wrote.
According to the US President, a bombs arsenal was launching in Fordow. “Congratulations to all American warriors. There is no other army in the world that could do this. Now is the time for peace,” he said.
The attacks mark the entry of the United States into the war between Iran and Israel, which has lasted nine days. This Saturday, Israeli forces launched an operation that killed Saeed Izadi, commander of the Palestine’s body in the QDS Force and coordinator between the Iranian regime and Hamas. IDF states that since the beginning of the war, Izadi would have tried to transfer millions of dollars to weapons to Hamas, an attempt frustrated by Israeli intelligence.
On Saturday morning, according to IDF, alerts were fired due to the infiltration of drones released by Iran, but there were no injuries. Last week, more than a thousand drones were released from Iran towards Israel. Most would have been intercepted at the borders.
Fortress of Fordow
The most strongly protected nuclear installation of Iran, Fordow, was built inside a mountain to protect it from attacks. According to information from “CNN”, from access to stolen Iranian documents over the last few years, the main area of the plant is between 80 and 90 meters below ground level. There is no exact information about when the installation began to be built, but it is speculated that this would have happened between 2002 and 2004.
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Located near the city of Qom, in the center of Iran, this plant is one of the most sensitive and strategic facilities of the Iranian nuclear program. Built on a mountain, it is designed to resist air attacks, which makes it extremely difficult to neutralize militarily. The existence of the complex was revealed to the public in 2009, generating strong reactions from the international community and increasing tensions about Iran’s nuclear intentions.
Originally developed to enrich uranium, Fordow houses about 3,000 Centrifuges of the IR-1 model, although Iran has already started the use of more advanced models, such as the IR-6. An agreement in 2015 provided for the installation to be converted into a scientific and medical research center, with limited activities and under rigorous monitoring of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, after tensions climbing, Iran restricted access to international inspectors and expanded their enrichment capacity in the plant.
*With Agency O Globo and Estadão Content
