Iran and Israel escalate conflict: attacks on nuclear facilities and military infrastructure continue

Tensions between Israel and Iran have reached a new peak after Israel carried out attacks on key Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran responded with missile strikes on Israeli military infrastructure. The conflict, which began with an Israeli operation targeting Iran's nuclear programme on the night of 13 June, continues to escalate, with both sides reporting casualties and damage to strategic targets.

According to Iran's Mehr News Agency, the area around the Arak heavy water plant, one of the largest facilities of its kind in Iran, has come under Israeli attack. The plant, commissioned in 2006 and located 190 km southwest of Tehran, is a key part of Iran's nuclear programme. But thanks to the facility's previous evacuation, Mehr said there is no risk of radioactive contamination.

A similar attack also occurred in the area adjacent to the Khondab heavy water research reactor, ISNA reported. The attack took place at around 6:00 local time on Thursday, when two projectiles struck the facility. Other projectiles were deflected by Iranian air defenses, and no serious damage was reported, according to reports. Reactor staff were evacuated in advance, eliminating the risk of a radiation leak.

Iranian retaliation: attack on Israeli cyber command

Iran responded quickly and decisively. According to IRNA, the Israeli army's C4I cyber operations headquarters and a military intelligence centre in the Gav-Yam hi-tech park near Beersheba were hit by Iranian missile attacks on Thursday morning. These facilities housed thousands of soldiers responsible for intelligence processing and cyber operations. While the nearby Soroka Hospital only suffered the effects of the shockwave, the military infrastructure was hit by a precision attack.

Chief of General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Abdulrahim Mousavi said Iran has no intention of curbing its attacks against Israel. "We will continuously attack any target belonging to the Zionist regime that has committed aggression, and we see no limits before us," he said, according to Iran's SNN television. Mousavi also visited one of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' air force bases, where he praised the high morale and readiness of the fighters.

The mutual attacks between Israel and Iran are a continuation of long-standing tensions, driven mainly by Israeli concerns about Iran's nuclear programme and Iranian support for anti-Israeli militias in the region. The targeting of strategic targets such as the nuclear facilities at Arak and Khondab and Israel's cyber command shows the increasing sophistication and intensity of these clashes. Although there has been no serious damage to civilian infrastructure or radioactive contamination to date, the continued exchange of attacks increases the risk of wider conflict.

While both sides continue to act aggressively, the international community is watching the situation with concern, as further escalation could destabilise the entire Middle East.

gnews.cz - GH