Israel Claims Airstrikes Set Back Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions by Two Years as Conflict Escalates
Israel Claims Airstrikes Set Back Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions by Two Years as Conflict Escalates
Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran has reportedly delayed Tehran’s suspected nuclear weapons programme by up to three years, according to senior Israeli officials, amid intensifying regional tensions.
In an interview with German newspaper Bild, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said intelligence estimates suggest the strikes have significantly disrupted Iran’s nuclear progress. “We already delayed for at least two or three years the possibility for them to have a nuclear bomb,” Saar said. “We will do everything we can to remove this threat.”
The escalation began on June 13 when Israel launched a wave of airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. Since then, the conflict has broadened, drawing in regional powers and sparking international concern.
On Saturday, Israel confirmed it had carried out fresh raids on missile storage and launch facilities in central Iran. Iran responded with hundreds of missile and drone strikes, which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed were aimed at Israeli military installations. Israeli officials, however, reported that the barrage has led to 25 deaths and dozens of injuries, including 19 people hospitalized in Haifa on Friday.
Iran has reportedly suffered heavier casualties. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said at least 657 people have died in Iran since the conflict erupted, including 263 civilians.
Amid the violence, diplomatic efforts have floundered. European diplomats from the UK, France, and Germany met with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva on Friday, urging a return to nuclear negotiations. However, Araghchi rebuffed the call. “We’re not prepared to negotiate with them [the United States] anymore, as long as the aggression continues,” he said in an interview with NBC News.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has maintained a tough stance on Iran, issued a stark warning last week, saying Tehran has “a maximum of two weeks” to avoid American military action. Trump also brushed aside Europe’s mediation efforts, saying: “Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us.”
While the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has noted Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 60%—a level far beyond civilian use and approaching weapons-grade—it maintains that there’s no concrete evidence that Iran has developed all the components necessary to assemble a nuclear warhead.
“Timelines for Iran to develop a bomb are pure speculation,” IAEA chief Rafael Grossi cautioned.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the situation a “perilous moment” and appealed to all sides to avoid further escalation.
Meanwhile, Iran’s top nuclear envoy has arrived in Istanbul for a critical meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), where the unfolding conflict is expected to dominate the agenda.
In a sign of mounting unease, Switzerland has temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran but confirmed it will continue to represent U.S. diplomatic interests in Iran.
