Tehran: Explosions rocked the area near Iran’s sensitive Fordow nuclear facility early Monday (June 16) as the Israel-Iran conflict entered its fourth day. The blasts, powerful enough to trigger a minor earthquake, came amid a barrage of Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and energy infrastructure.
Loud explosions were reported near the Fordow enrichment plant, with Iran International English posting videos of the blasts around 20 kilometres from the city of Qom. Iran’s seismic authority confirmed a 2.5 magnitude earthquake centred near the site, indicating the scale of the blasts.
Here's a visual from the site of explosion:
Fordow Shaken, Nuclear Sites Damaged
The UN atomic watchdog’s chief Rafael Grossi confirmed that Iran reported Israeli strikes on Fordow on the first day of fighting, June 13. According to The Wall Street Journal, Israel has now hit all three of Iran’s major nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, making an unprecedented move in the history of their rivalry.
Israel’s Kan News shared satellite images showing significant damage to the Natanz site, including the facility’s power station. The Isfahan Uranium Conversion Center was also struck last week. Iranian authorities have not released full damage assessments yet.
Missiles Rain Over Haifa, Tel Aviv In Escalating Strikes
In the latest retaliation, Iran launched a barrage of missiles towards Israel, including a direct strike on the Haifa refinery, reportedly causing a large fire in the city. RT International quoted unnamed Israeli officials stating that four people were injured.
Tel Aviv and Jerusalem also came under fire, with sirens sounding across major cities as Israel’s Iron Dome intercepted several projectiles. Al Arabiya described the strikes as “the most intense since the start of the war”.
Iran’s health ministry says 224 people have been killed since June 13, including three top IRGC officials in recent Israeli attacks.
This ongoing exchange of fire has now raised fears of a wider regional conflict engulfing the Middle East.
