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Fact Focus: US and Israeli strikes on Iran nuclear sites pose limited radiation risks

Fact Focus: US and Israeli strikes on Iran nuclear sites pose limited radiation risks
Thank you very much. *** short time ago, the US military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime, Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and *** stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight I can report to the world that the strikes were *** spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and *** lot easier. For 40 years Iran has been saying death to America, death to Israel. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over 1000 people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East and around the world have died as *** direct result of their hate. In particular, so many were killed by their general Qasem Soleimani. I decided *** long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue. I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as *** team like perhaps no team has ever worked before. And we've gone *** long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they've done. And most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades. Hopefully we will no longer need their services in this capacity. I hope that's so. I also want to congratulate the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Rasina, spectacular general, and all of the brilliant military minds involved in this attack. With all of that being said, this cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last 8 days. Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight's was the most difficult of them all by far, and perhaps the most lethal, but if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in *** matter of minutes. There's no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight, not even close. There has never been *** military that could do what took place just *** little while ago. Tomorrow, General Kaine, Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth will have *** press conference at 8:00 a.m. at the Pentagon, and I want to just thank everybody and. In particular, God, I wanna just say we love you God and we love our great military protect them. God bless the Middle East, God bless Israel and God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you.
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Updated: 9:51 PM CDT Jun 21, 2025
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Fact Focus: US and Israeli strikes on Iran nuclear sites pose limited radiation risks
AP logo
Updated: 9:51 PM CDT Jun 21, 2025
Editorial Standards 鈸�
With the United States joining Israel in its attacks on Iran's nuclear program, here is what we know about the radiation threat, and other health risks. Iran enriches uranium at two key sites, Natanz and Fordo. President Donald Trump said U.S. forces struck both sites, along with a third site, Isfahan, early Sunday, and Iran's state-run IRNA news agency confirmed the strikes.It was not immediately clear if radiation had been released by those strikes, but the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has said it did not detect major releases from earlier Israeli strikes, and experts said the risks of a major release are relatively low.Video above: Full Remarks: President Donald Trump speaks on US striking IranThe Islamic Republic's leaders say their nuclear program is for the peaceful purpose of harnessing atomic energy. But highly enriched uranium 鈥� which is radioactive 鈥� is used in the manufacture of atomic weapons, and Israel is determined to prevent Iran from having them.At Natanz, some 220 kilometers (135 miles) southeast of Tehran, uranium had been enriched to up to 60% purity 鈥� a mildly radioactive level and a short step away from weapons grade 鈥� before Israel destroyed the aboveground part of the facility in earlier strikes, according to the IAEA.Another part of the Natanz facility is below ground, and where most of its centrifuges are to protect them from airstrikes. The IAEA said it believes that most if not all of these centrifuges were destroyed by an Israeli strike that cut off power to the site. These centrifuges had been enriching up to 5% purity, according to experts.While radiological and chemical contamination are likely inside Natanz, radiation levels outside the complex remain normal, Rafael Grossi, chief of the IAEA, said during an urgent session of the IAEA board on June 16. The Fordo nuclear enrichment site is buried deep below a mountain, around 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Tehran, and is close to the Shiite holy city of Qom. Iran produces most of its near weapons-grade material there 鈥� and for that reason it is considered a high-value target for the Israelis. But its location deep underground makes it difficult to attack, which is why the U.S. apparently deployed powerful "bunker buster" bombs in Sunday's strikes.Even so, experts said any potential radiation impact from a strike on Fordo is likely to be similar to the impact at Natanz. In short, there would be some chemical hazards on site, and some radiation, but at levels that would be manageable with respiratory devices and other protective gear. Israel also previously struck four buildings at the Isfahan nuclear site, among them a uranium conversion facility. The IAEA said there has been no sign of increased radiation at Isfahan, which is roughly 350 kilometers (215 miles) southeast of Tehran. Even if radiation did leak from one of the sites, experts said, the amount would be unlikely to pose a risk to people near the facilities or in the wider region."Very little uranium will be released in these kind of attacks," said David Albright, a physicist and nuclear weapons expert who founded the Institute for Science and International Security, based in Washington, D.C.Uranium itself is not especially toxic, he said, and is common in parts of the environment. A person standing near an enrichment facility with a leak would probably be exposed to no more radiation than someone who took several trans-Atlantic flights, which receive slightly higher radiation because radiation doses are larger at high altitudes, he said.In order to become sick, someone would have to ingest large quantities of uranium, Albright said, pointing out that the element can be found naturally in seawater and the earth's crust. Rather than radiation, experts said the greater risk from any attack on nuclear enrichment sites might be from fluorine gas.Fluorine is mixed with a concentrated form of uranium to create uranium hexafluoride, which is then fed into centrifuges. Fluorine is extremely volatile, will quickly corrode and can burn the skin. It is especially deadly if inhaled.A far greater concern to the public would be if Israel were to attack Iran's only commercial nuclear power plant, said Fabian Hinz of the International Institute of Strategic Studies.In a nuclear power plant, the reactor core and the spent nuclear fuel are the most radioactive components. Some of it remains dangerous for thousands of years.The Bushehr power plant is 750 kilometers (465 miles) south of Tehran. But "it seems very unlikely that the Israelis are going to strike" Bushehr, Hinz said, because it isn't considered to be part of the Iranian nuclear program geared toward developing weapons. Mroue reported from Beirut. Liechtenstein reported from Vienna.

With the in its attacks on , here is what we know about the radiation threat, and other health risks.

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Iran enriches uranium at two key sites, and . President Donald Trump said U.S. forces both sites, along with a third site, Isfahan, early Sunday, and Iran's state-run IRNA news agency confirmed the strikes.

It was not immediately clear if radiation had been released by those strikes, but the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has said it did not detect major releases from earlier Israeli strikes, and experts said the risks of a major release are relatively low.

Video above: Full Remarks: President Donald Trump speaks on US striking Iran

The Islamic Republic's leaders say their nuclear program is for the peaceful purpose of harnessing atomic energy. But highly enriched uranium 鈥� which is radioactive 鈥� is used in the manufacture of atomic weapons, and to prevent Iran from having them.

At Natanz, some 220 kilometers (135 miles) southeast of Tehran, uranium had been enriched to up to 60% purity 鈥� a mildly radioactive level and a short step away from weapons grade 鈥� before Israel destroyed the aboveground part of the facility in earlier strikes, according to the IAEA.

Another part of the Natanz facility is below ground, and where most of its centrifuges are to protect them from airstrikes. The IAEA said it believes that most if not all of these centrifuges were destroyed by an Israeli strike that cut off power to the site. These centrifuges had been enriching up to 5% purity, according to experts.

While radiological and chemical contamination are likely inside Natanz, radiation levels outside the complex remain normal, Rafael Grossi, chief of the IAEA, of the IAEA board on June 16.

The Fordo nuclear enrichment site is buried deep below a mountain, around 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Tehran, and is close to the Shiite holy city of Qom.

Iran produces most of its near weapons-grade material there 鈥� and for that reason it is considered a high-value target for the Israelis. But its location deep underground makes it difficult to attack, which is why the U.S. apparently deployed powerful in Sunday's strikes.

Even so, experts said any potential radiation impact from a strike on Fordo is likely to be similar to the impact at Natanz. In short, there would be some chemical hazards on site, and some radiation, but at levels that would be manageable with respiratory devices and other protective gear.

Israel also previously struck four buildings at the Isfahan nuclear site, among them a uranium conversion facility. The IAEA said there has been no sign of increased radiation at Isfahan, which is roughly 350 kilometers (215 miles) southeast of Tehran.

Even if radiation did leak from one of the sites, experts said, the amount would be unlikely to pose a risk to people near the facilities or in the wider region.

"Very little uranium will be released in these kind of attacks," said David Albright, a physicist and nuclear weapons expert who founded the Institute for Science and International Security, based in Washington, D.C.

Uranium itself is not especially toxic, he said, and is common in parts of the environment. A person standing near an enrichment facility with a leak would probably be exposed to no more radiation than someone who took several trans-Atlantic flights, which receive slightly higher radiation because radiation doses are larger at high altitudes, he said.

In order to become sick, someone would have to ingest large quantities of uranium, Albright said, pointing out that the element can be found naturally in seawater and the earth's crust.

Rather than radiation, experts said the greater risk from any attack on nuclear enrichment sites might be from fluorine gas.

Fluorine is mixed with a concentrated form of uranium to create uranium hexafluoride, which is then fed into centrifuges. Fluorine is extremely volatile, will quickly corrode and can burn the skin. It is especially deadly if inhaled.

A far greater concern to the public would be if Israel were to attack Iran's only commercial nuclear power plant, said Fabian Hinz of the International Institute of Strategic Studies.

In a nuclear power plant, the reactor core and the spent nuclear fuel are the most radioactive components. Some of it remains dangerous for thousands of years.

The Bushehr is 750 kilometers (465 miles) south of Tehran. But "it seems very unlikely that the Israelis are going to strike" Bushehr, Hinz said, because it isn't considered to be part of the Iranian nuclear program geared toward developing weapons.

Mroue reported from Beirut. Liechtenstein reported from Vienna.