Black Smoke Rises Over Iran's Natanz Nuclear Site After Israeli Airstrikes Target Key Nuclear and Military Facilities
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 12
- 3 min read
Black smoke billowed Friday over Iran’s main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz following a series of Israeli airstrikes that shook the capital and several key locations across the country. The full extent of the damage at the nuclear facility remains unclear, but the rare broadcast of a live scene by Iranian state television briefly revealed smoke rising from the site.
Natanz, partially located above and below ground, is home to multiple halls of centrifuges where uranium gas is enriched as part of Iran’s nuclear program. It has been previously targeted in cyberattacks and sabotage operations believed to be carried out by Israel, including the notorious Stuxnet virus attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israeli forces had struck the Natanz facility, among other targets. He stated that the military operation specifically aimed at nuclear and military sites, as well as Iranian officials associated with the country’s nuclear program and ballistic missile development.
Iranian state media reported that the head of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, is feared dead following the airstrikes. In addition, one other senior Guard commander and two nuclear scientists are also feared dead. The headquarters of the Revolutionary Guard was reported to be ablaze, though official confirmation of casualties remains pending.
Explosions were reported across multiple locations in Tehran, including Chitgar, a neighborhood in western Tehran. While Chitgar is not known to host nuclear sites, the scale and scope of the Israeli strikes remain under evaluation. Israeli military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the operation focused on Iranian nuclear infrastructure and military command centers.
The airstrikes follow escalating tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. On Thursday, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) censured Iran for failing to cooperate with nuclear inspectors — the first such reprimand in two decades. Iran responded by announcing plans to establish a third uranium enrichment site and to replace existing centrifuges with more advanced models.
Israel has long maintained it will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Though Iran has consistently denied it seeks to build them, officials have warned they retain the technical capacity to do so. Netanyahu, in a video address, said the military campaign will persist "for as many days as it takes to remove this threat."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Israel acted unilaterally and that Washington was not involved in the military strikes. He emphasized that the United States’ top priority is protecting American forces in the region and warned Iran against targeting U.S. personnel or assets.
Amid the strikes, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz announced a state of emergency on the home front, warning of imminent retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iran. Both Israeli and Iranian authorities ordered the closure of their respective airspaces in anticipation of further escalation.
As the explosions echoed across Tehran early Friday, President Donald Trump was seen on the White House lawn greeting members of Congress. Though it was unclear whether he had been immediately briefed on the situation, Trump later reiterated his position that he had urged Netanyahu to delay action while diplomatic channels with Iran remained open. “As long as I think there is a chance for an agreement, I don’t want them going in because I think it would blow it,” Trump told reporters.
Following the strikes, benchmark Brent crude oil prices surged nearly 5%, reflecting heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.
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