Natanz nuclear facility hit in airstrike; Iran says no radiation leak reported yet

Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz was hit in an airstrike on Saturday, according to the country’s official news agency Mizan, which said there was no radiation leakage from the site despite the attack. The strike comes as tensions in West Asia continue to escalate, with the conflict entering its fourth week and no signs of de-escalation, according to Reuters.

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation confirmed that the Natanz enrichment complex had been targeted, blaming the attack on the United States and Israel. In a statement, the agency said the strike followed what it described as “criminal attacks by the United States and the Zionist regime” against Iran, but added that there had been no release of radioactive material from the facility. Officials said the situation around the site in central Iran remained under control.

Natanz is Iran’s primary uranium enrichment centre and one of the most sensitive components of its nuclear programme. The facility, located about 220 kilometres southeast of Tehran, has been repeatedly targeted in past conflicts because of its strategic importance. During the first week of the current war, satellite images had already shown damage to several buildings within the complex after earlier strikes. At that time, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said there were no radiological consequences from the attack.

The site had also been hit during the 2025 Iran–Israel conflict, as well as in earlier covert and overt operations linked to the long-running dispute over Iran’s nuclear activities. Analysts say the repeated targeting of Natanz reflects concerns among Western and Israeli officials that the facility plays a central role in Iran’s enrichment capability.

The latest strike comes amid mixed signals from Washington. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was considering winding down military operations in the region, but the United States has simultaneously increased its military presence by deploying additional amphibious assault ships and thousands of Marines, suggesting the situation remains highly volatile.