In a revelation that may reshape assumptions about the aftermath of the brief but intense Israel-Iran war earlier this year, a senior Israeli official has disclosed that key portions of Iran&rsquo;s enriched uranium stockpile appear to have survived coordinated <a title="US" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/international/us-strike-hits-iran-nuclear-sites-delays-by-2-yrs/15682" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American</a> and <a title="Israel" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/international/israel-hits-iran-s-key-nuclear-sites-in-12-day-raid/15052" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israeli</a> airstrikes.
The strikes, which targeted <a title="Iran" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/international/did-us-strikes-fail-to-cripple-iran-s-nukes-/14818" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran&rsquo;s</a> major nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan during the height of the 12-day conflict, were believed to have inflicted heavy damage on Iran&rsquo;s nuclear infrastructure. However, Israeli intelligence now indicates that approximately 400 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60% remained in place at the time of the bombings &mdash; and has not been removed since.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the Israeli official said Iran&rsquo;s nuclear engineers may still be able to access some of this material, particularly at the Isfahan site &mdash; long monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, removing or mobilising it would reportedly prove challenging under current circumstances.
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The New York Times, quoting the same Israeli source, confirmed that despite heavy bombardments by both Israel and the United States, portions of Iran&rsquo;s uranium stockpile stored underground were not destroyed. While the material is difficult to retrieve, it has not been rendered entirely inaccessible &mdash; a conclusion that runs contrary to early Western assessments.
The Israeli official appeared unconcerned about the uranium&rsquo;s current location, stressing that any Iranian attempt to recover or repurpose it would likely be detected. &ldquo;The Iranians will try every possible way to learn their lessons and recover,&rdquo; he warned, underlining that Tehran remains committed to regaining its nuclear momentum.
Defence Minister Israel Katz, meanwhile, has called for a long-term enforcement strategy to prevent Iran from rebuilding the capabilities it held before the conflict. &ldquo;The enemy is learning and preparing,&rdquo; he said, urging Israeli forces and intelligence to anticipate future threats and stay a step ahead.
According to the New York Times, Israeli military planning had shifted toward active strikes on Iran as early as 2024, driven by intelligence reports suggesting that Tehran was advancing a secret nuclear weapons programme. These concerns culminated in the joint US-Israeli offensive &mdash; an operation publicly hailed by former President Donald Trump, who rejected claims that it had delayed Iran&rsquo;s nuclear timeline by only a few months. Trump asserted that the programme had been completely dismantled.
The latest revelations, however, suggest that the picture is far more complex &mdash; and that Iran&rsquo;s nuclear ambitions may not have been entirely derailed. As both sides recalibrate in the war&rsquo;s aftermath, the risk of renewed escalation remains far from remote.

Iran's nuclear sites after American airstrike (image courtesy: Maxar)

Israel eyes enforcement plan as Iran may still access uranium post joint military strikes

Iran's Uranium Stockpile Partly Survived Airstrikes

Israel eyes enforcement plan as Iran may still access uranium post joint military strikes

July 11, 2025 | 23:30 IST