Centrifuge Factory and Police Headquarters Destroyed in Ongoing Israeli Strikes on Iran

Latest Developments

Centrifuge Factory Destroyed: Israeli fighter jets struck a centrifuge production facility in Tehran on June 17-18 during ongoing strikes on military targets inside Iran. The IDF said that the facility was “designed to enable the Iranian regime to expand the scale and speed of its uranium enrichment to develop nuclear weapons.” Prior to the operation’s start, Iran threatened to replace its first-generation centrifuges at the Fordow enrichment facility with sixth-generation centrifuges, which would significantly increase uranium enrichment production.
Arm of Regime Repression Bombed: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Israeli Air Force fighter jets had “destroyed the Iranian regime’s Internal Security Headquarters — the Iranian dictator’s central repressive arm.” Local reports indicated that the target was the headquarters of the Law Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran (NAJA), whose responsibilities include establishing physical as well as “moral and social” security to preserve the regime.
Bombs Near Khamenei’s Bunker: Strikes were also conducted across Tehran’s Lavizan District, although no targets were immediately reported. The district is reportedly the location of an underground bunker where Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has often sheltered. Israel also announced that it had struck several facilities that produced raw materials and manufactured components for surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, as well as eight Iranian attack helicopters and over 40 missile infrastructure components.

FDD Expert Response

“Israel is steadily eliminating Iran’s key nuclear assets, including centrifuge production sites, which contain sensitive equipment and would enable the regime to rebuild its enrichment program. Together with the strikes on Iran’s uranium conversion, uranium enrichment, uranium metal, and weaponization capabilities, Israel has dealt a blow that may delay a nuclear weapons option for months, if not longer. Jerusalem should still be on the lookout for any hidden assets that Tehran could use to construct a nuclear weapon in secret — and it still must render nine to 10 bombs’ worth of highly enriched uranium out of commission at the deeply buried Fordow site.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow

“By targeting NAJA, Israel has begun to translate its message of solidarity with the Iranian people into action. As the regime’s central apparatus of repression, the so-called ‘law enforcement’ has long served as the first line of defense against civil society movements, unleashing violence against protesters. If this marks the beginning of a broader campaign, the Basij headquarters — and its local branches — should be next, accompanied by deliberate messaging that makes clear to Iranians that this war is against their oppressors, not them.” — Janatan Sayeh, Research Analyst