US considering Iran nuclear facility strike amid Israeli intelligence push
Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Mossad's new chief reportedly met with U.S. officials to discuss potential military action against Iran's underground nuclear facility at Qorveh Mountain.
- Israel shared intelligence suggesting Iran moved centrifuges and enriched uranium to the fortified site, aiming to draw the U.S. into escalating conflict.
- The U.S. is reportedly considering airstrikes, but the facility's depth and fortification make it difficult to destroy, raising concerns about escalation and international backlash.
The head of Israel's foreign intelligence agency, Mossad, recently visited Washington for high-level discussions concerning Iran's nuclear program and the potential for renewed conflict, according to U.S. media reports citing multiple sources. Roman Gofman, the new Mossad director, reportedly met with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and other White House officials approximately two weeks ago.
During the visit, Israeli intelligence allegedly shared information indicating that Iran had transferred enriched uranium and thousands of high-performance centrifuges to a fortified underground nuclear facility at Qorveh Mountain following the "12-day war" last June. This intelligence aims to persuade the U.S. to engage in further military action against Iran, specifically targeting this suspected nuclear site.
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Reports suggest the U.S. is contemplating airstrikes on the Qorveh Mountain facility, which is believed to be located 90-140 meters beneath granite bedrock. Its depth and fortification make it a challenging target, potentially requiring strategic nuclear weapons or special forces for destruction, options fraught with international criticism and the risk of significant casualties. Experts note that previous U.S. decisions not to strike such facilities were partly due to the difficulty of effective attacks.
Iran denies conducting nuclear activities at Qorveh Mountain and has warned of escalation if the site is attacked. Esmaeil Baghaei, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, condemned the U.S. "obsession" with the site as a fabricated pretext for attack. The Iranian military also threatened decisive action against U.S. assets and allies in the Middle East if major Iranian facilities were targeted.
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Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.