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Construction work has picked up at a major new site at a facility connected to Israel’s suspected nuclear weapons program, according to satellite images studied by experts. They believe the site could be a new reactor or a place to build nuclear weapons, but the lack of information makes it hard to be certain. The work is happening near the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, close to the city of Dimona, and could bring back questions about Israel being the only nuclear-armed country in the Middle East.This development might also lead to international criticism.
It comes after Israel and the U.S. attacked nuclear sites in Iran in June, fearing Iran was trying to build atomic weapons. One of the sites hit was Iran’s heavy water reactor at Arak. Seven experts examined the images and said the construction is likely connected to Israel’s nuclear program because of the location near Dimona, which does not have a civilian power plant. However, they couldn’t agree on exactly what the new building is for.Three experts thought the work might be for a new heavy water reactor. These reactors can make plutonium and another material used in nuclear weapons. The other four experts also considered the possibility of a reactor but also thought it could be a facility for building nuclear weapons.
They said the construction is still early, so they can’t be certain.Jeffrey Lewis, an expert at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, said it’s probably a reactor, based on the images and the history of Dimona. He said it’s hard to imagine it being anything else. Israel does not confirm or deny having nuclear weapons, and the government has not responded to questions. The White House, which is Israel’s main ally, also hasn’t commented.The Associated Press first reported on work at the site in 2021, showing workers digging a hole near the original reactor.
New images taken on July 5 by Planet Labs PBC show more construction, with thick walls and multiple floors underground. Cranes are nearby, but there’s no visible containment dome, which is usually part of a heavy water reactor. However, such a dome could be added later if needed.Dimona’s current heavy water reactor, which started operating in the 1960s, has been running longer than most reactors from that time, so it may need replacement or upgrades soon. Lewis said the structure is tall, which fits with a reactor’s design. Edwin Lyman, a nuclear scientist, said the new building could be a box-shaped reactor without a visible dome, though he acknowledged the lack of transparency makes it hard to be sure.
Lyman also pointed out that Israel doesn’t allow international inspections, which leads to a lot of speculation. A whistleblower in the 1980s provided information and photos that helped experts conclude Israel had built dozens of nuclear warheads. Daryl G. Kimball, from the Arms Control Association, said if the site is a heavy water reactor, it might be for making spent fuel to extract plutonium for more weapons, or for maintaining the country’s nuclear arsenal.Like India and Pakistan, Israel is believed to rely on heavy water reactors to create nuclear weapons. These reactors can be used for research, but they also produce plutonium, which is needed for bombs.
Tritium, another byproduct, is used to increase the power of warheads.Because of the secrecy around Israel’s program, it’s hard to know exactly how many nuclear weapons the country has. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists estimated around 90 warheads in 2022. Lyman suggested the construction at Dimona could be for making more tritium, which decays by 5% annually.Israel is thought to have started building the nuclear site in the late 1950s after several wars with Arab neighbors around its founding in 1948. Its policy of keeping its nuclear program secret has helped deter its enemies. Israel is one of nine countries believed to have nuclear weapons and is among four that have never joined the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. This means the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, can’t inspect Dimona. The IAEA said Israel isn’t required to give information about other nuclear facilities besides its Soreq research reactor.
