'Eliminated': 9 Scientists and Experts Advancing Iran's Nuclear Program Killed in Israeli Strikes
The Israel Defence Forces said that this 'elimination' will be a major setback to Iran in its ability to acquire weapons of mass destruction.
Nine scientists and experts contributing to the advancement of Iran's nuclear weapons program have been killed in Israeli military strikes.
Confirming the development, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on its X handle, "ELIMINATED: 9 senior scientists and experts responsible for advancing the Iranian regime’s nuclear weapons program."
The IDF also shared the names of the eliminated senior scientists in a video accompanied by the message. The nine people include Mansour Asgari, Saeed Barji, Mohammad Mahdi Tehranshi, Fereydoun Abbasi, Akbar Motalebi Zadeh, Ali Bakhouei Katirimi, Ahmad Reza Zolfaghari Daryani, Abd al-Hamid Minoushehr and Amir Hassan Fakhahi.
Israel used intelligence inputs for their elimination.
"All of the eliminated scientists and experts, eliminated based on intelligence, were key factors in the development of Iranian nuclear weapons," the IDF said.
The IDF further said that this 'elimination' will be a major setback to Iran in its attempt to acquire nuclear weapons.
"Their elimination is a significant blow to the regime’s ability to acquire weapons of mass destruction," the IDF said.
About Israel's Operation Rising Lion
On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the launch of a large-scale military campaign, Operation Rising Lion, aimed at dismantling what he described as an existential threat posed by Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Netanyahu said Israel had struck multiple high-value Iranian targets in a decisive first strike.
"Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival," he said, adding that the mission would continue "for as many days as it takes to remove this threat."
The Israeli leader accused Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapons programme in defiance of global warnings, pointing to enriched uranium stockpiles capable of producing multiple nuclear bombs.
"In recent years, Iran has produced enough highly enriched uranium for nine atom bombs. Nine," he noted, warning that Tehran had taken "steps to weaponise this enriched uranium" and could develop a nuclear weapon within months.
Published By : Ankita Paul
Published On: 14 June 2025 at 18:26 IST