UN agency: Iranian underground Natanz center hit by Israeli attacks

2025-06-17 16:40:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday that Israeli strikes appeared to have had a "direct impact" on the underground part of Iran's Natanz nuclear facility.

"Based on ongoing analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery obtained following Friday's attacks, the agency has identified additional elements that signal a direct impact on the underground enrichment facilities at Natanz," the International Atomic Energy Agency, a United Nations body, said in a post on X - formerly Twitter.

The agency said it had not observed any changes in other centers in Esfahan and Fordow.

The attacks are part of an Israeli air campaign, launched against the sworn enemy for the fifth consecutive day, targeting the Iranian military and nuclear program.

This is the first time that the UN monitoring agency has observed damage from attacks on parts of the Natanz center, which is considered central to Iran's nuclear program.

It is now known that an above-ground enrichment center has been destroyed, as have the electrical equipment that provides power to the underground facility.

Israel is continuing to attack Iran on Tuesday, while US President Donald Trump has warned all residents of Tehran to evacuate.

"IRAN CANNOT HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS," Trump wrote on social media during his return from Canada to Washington.

"Everyone should be evacuated from Tehran immediately," he added.

He later said that he is not looking for a ceasefire, because he is looking for "something better than a ceasefire."

Asked why he called on residents to evacuate Tehran, he said he wanted "people to be safe."

Earlier in the day, the Israeli army called on about 330,000 residents in a Tehran neighborhood to evacuate.

Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East, with around 10 million inhabitants – a figure almost equivalent to the entire population of Israel.

People have been seen fleeing the city since the start of hostilities.

Israel says strikes against Iranian military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment centers and ballistic missile programs are necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The attacks have killed at least 224 people in Iran.

Iran has retaliated by launching over 370 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel.

So far, 24 people have been reported killed. The Israeli military said Iran launched new missiles on Tuesday and explosions were heard in northern Israel./ REL