Two intelligence officials told The New York Times that the damage at Iran’s Natanz nuclear site was caused by a large explosion that “completely destroyed the independent — and heavily protected — internal power system that supplies the underground centrifuges that enrich uranium.”

The officials, who were unnamed due to the classified nature of the Israeli operation, said that the explosion severely affected Iran’s ability to enrich uranium, setting its nuclear program back at least nine months.

An anonymous intelligence official told Israel’s Kan News that the attack caused extensive damage that seriously set back Iran’s capabilities and that the timing, a day after Iran announced it had launched a chain of 164 IR-6 centrifuges at the plant, was not coincidental.

Iran described the incident as an act of “nuclear terrorism.”

“The action this morning against the Natanz enrichment site shows the defeat of those who oppose our country’s nuclear and political development and the significant gains of our nuclear industry,” said Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization. “The incident shows the failure of those who oppose Iran negotiating for sanctions relief.”

On Monday, Iran reported that it has identified the culprit who caused the blackout.

“The person has been identified,” a statement on Iran’s Nournews website stated, quoting intelligence sources. “Necessary measures are being taken to arrest this person who caused the electricity outage in one of the halls at the Natanz site.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)