Satellite Images Reveal Escalated Activity at Dimona Nuclear Facility in ‘israel’
According to experts examining satellite imagery, construction activity has increased at a key location within Israel's nuclear weapons program. Analysts suggest that the developments could pertain to a new reactor or a facility designated for the assembly of nuclear weapons.
Renewed activities at the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, located near Dimona, are likely to reignite discussions regarding Israel’s purported position as the sole nuclear-armed entity in West Asia.
This development has the potential to ignite widespread international condemnation, especially in light of the recent US-Israeli actions targeting Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities.
On June 13, Israel executed a significant and unprovoked military operation against Iran, resulting in the assassination of several high-ranking military officials, nuclear scientists, as well as ordinary civilians.
More than a week after initial hostilities, the United States escalated tensions by targeting and bombing three Iranian nuclear facilities. This move is considered a serious breach of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Satellite images captured on July 5 by Planet Labs PBC reveal heightened construction activity at the excavation site. The images indicate the installation of substantial concrete retaining walls, suggesting the development of a multi-level underground facility. Towering cranes are visible overseeing the construction efforts.
Seven experts have unanimously concluded that the construction observed in the imagery is associated with Israel’s nuclear weapons program. This determination is based on the site’s proximity to the Dimona reactor, a facility not connected to any civilian power plant.
Three analysts speculated that the site was likely a new heavy water reactor intended for plutonium production, while the remaining four indicated it might alternatively serve as a facility for nuclear weapons assembly.
It is widely believed that Israel produces its nuclear weapons through the use of a heavy water reactor. This reactor reportedly generates plutonium, essential for atomic bombs, and tritium, which enhances their explosive yield.
Both the Israeli government and its unwavering ally, the United States, have opted to withhold comment, adhering to Israel’s longstanding policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence of its nuclear arsenal.
Israel, adhering to a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding its nuclear capabilities, is believed to maintain an arsenal comprising between 200 and 400 nuclear warheads. This positions the nation as the only entity equipped with non-conventional weaponry in the West Asian region.
The nation has consistently declined to permit inspections of its military nuclear sites and has opted not to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), maintaining steadfast support from Washington.
