- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles remain intact despite recent U.S.-Israel strikes, indicating readiness for further military action.
- Israeli intelligence reports that Iran’s near-weapons-grade uranium is hidden underground and will require extensive recovery efforts that could trigger renewed attacks.
- Russia pledges support to Iran’s nuclear program in a move that could potentially escalate Cold War-style tensions in the region.
- Netanyahu claims deterrence has been achieved, but experts warn Iran may rebuild covertly with Russian and Chinese backing.
- Satellite imagery suggests uranium may have been relocated before the attacks, hinting at an ongoing nuclear standoff.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted at expanded military action against Iran’s nuclear program, declaring that their enriched uranium stockpiles that are the key to nuclear weapons development remain untouched despite recent U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Speaking to Fox Business this week, Netanyahu confirmed that while Iran’s centrifuges were destroyed in coordinated attacks last month, its cache of near-weapons-grade uranium was still intact and buried under rubble at sites like Isfahan. “"The one thing that we didn't deal with, and we know that we didn't deal with, was the enriched uranium,” he stated ominously, adding that Israel and the U.S. could strike “twice, and thrice” if needed.
The remarks signal Israel’s readiness to escalate hostilities even as global scrutiny intensifies over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He told Fox News host Mark Levin that he remains convinced Iran will use nuclear weapons against them. "We saw it. We said, within a year they will have a nuclear bomb, and they will use it," he stated. "Unlike other nuclear powers, they will actually use it, and they will wipe us out."
The hidden uranium threat
According to Israeli intelligence, Iran’s uranium stockpiles—enriched to 60%, edging close to weapons-grade 90%—were shielded from destruction due to their underground storage depth. While U.S. officials initially claimed complete success in dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, Netanyahu’s disclosure contradicts those assurances, exposing fissures in the allies’ public narrative.
A senior Israeli official, speaking anonymously to The New York Times, revealed that recovering the uranium would require extensive digging, likely detectable by satellite surveillance, and prompt fresh Israeli attacks. “Any attempts by Iran to recover it would almost certainly be detected,” the official warned, emphasizing that Israel retains the upper hand in preemptive strikes.
Meanwhile, Russia has vowed to replenish Iran’s nuclear resources, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pledging technological support to “take the excess of overly enriched uranium” under Moscow’s control in a move that could reignite Cold War-style proxy tensions in the region.
Netanyahu downplayed Iran’s immediate nuclear capabilities, insisting Tehran is too “afraid” to revive its program after the devastating strikes.
"They know they felt the might – the might of America, the might of Israel and the combined might of Israel and America. It's made an impact, not only in the Middle East, it's made an impact around the world. Everybody sees this," he told Fox Business, portraying the attacks as a deterrent. Yet experts warn that Iran’s strategic patience and its alliances with Russia and China could allow it to rebuild covertly.
Satellite imagery of Fordow, struck by U.S. bunker-busters, showed trucks moving near the site before the attack, raising suspicions that the uranium was relocated ahead of time. While Washington denies this, Netanyahu’s admission that Israel “knows where it is buried” suggests a high-stakes game of nuclear hide-and-seek.
Is a regional war brewing?
As Netanyahu flexes Israel’s military readiness and Russia intervenes to back Iran, the threat of a wider Middle East conflict looms. With Tehran’s uranium still in play and Israel vowing further action, it is not yet clear whether diplomacy or destruction will dictate the next chapter. For now, Netanyahu’s message is clear: Iran’s nuclear ambitions will be met with relentless force, regardless of the cost.
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