According to the Times of London report quoting “Tel Aviv sources”, reports last week of an explosion that “rocked an Iranian nuclear” facility are true. The explosion took place in a nuclear enrichment plant in Fordo. Regarding reports that an Israeli aircraft was seen in the explosion area shortly before the blast occurred, the Israeli sources declined comment, adding they do not know if the explosion was the result of an accident or sabotage.

The chairman of the Iranian parliament’s Committee for Foreign Policy and National Security, Alaeddin Boroujerdi called the reports “Western lies and rumors”, denying there was any explosion at the Fordo plant.

The daily Yisrael Hayom reports on Monday 17 Shevat 5773 “there is no confirmation from any significant source regarding an explosion in the Fordo enrichment facility.”

According to the original WND report, the damage to the site was extensive and 240 people were trapped underground. The site is reportedly a major component of Tehran’s nuclear program, with its 2,700 centrifuges capable of enriching uranium to the 20 percent level.

The Fordo facility which is buried deep underground, in a mountain is immune to air strikes and most bunker-busting bombs. WND reports of the blast came via Hamidreza Zakeri, formerly with the Islamic regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and National Security.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called an urgent meeting following the blast, discussing a number of concerns including the explosion. The Iranian leader is looking at the Mossad Intelligence Agency amid mounting verbal threats from senior Iranian officials that any attack against its “peaceful nuclear program” would be met with a harsh response against both Israel and the United States.

Israel continues to monitor the situation in Iran, with intelligence experts somewhat divided on the pace of the Iranian program. As such there are different estimated regarding the window of opportunity to strike prior to Tehran achieving nuclear independence.

In addition, politicians are not of the same view regarding a possible offensive, with some in agreement with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu who appears more willing to launch an IDF strike if left without an alternative while others, including retired IDF senior officials feel such an attack cannot be launched by Israel alone, without the backing and possibly even participation of the United States.

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(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)