Israel targeted at least 17 scientists and senior military officials in the damage caused to Iran, marking a major strike on the brains behind Iran’s nuclear program.

During the twelve-day ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, Israeli strikes have directly targeted Iran’s nuclear program. As a result of these attacks, 17 of Iran’s key nuclear scientists and senior military leaders have been martyred, including several prominent figures from scientific and defense sectors.

According to Iranian authorities, those martyred include former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Fereydoon Abbasi, Mohammad Mahdi Tehranian, President of the Islamic Azad University; nuclear engineer Dr. Abdolhamid Manoochehri; and Professor Ahmad Reza Zolfaqari of Beheshti University.

Additionally, engineering faculty head Amir Hossein Fekri, renowned nuclear expert Motalagh Zadeh, and other martyrs also lost their lives in this attack, all of whom were on a mission to make their country unstoppable in the nuclear field.

The Israeli strikes have not only targeted scientists but also Iran’s high-ranking military leadership, including Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri, IRGC Commander General Hossein Salami, Brigadier General Amir Ali Haji Zadeh, and General Gholam Ali Rashidi.

The funerals for Iran’s top commanders and scientists who fell during the war with Israel are scheduled to be held this week.

According to Iranian officials, these attacks were carried out to destroy Iran’s nuclear program. Prior to this, the United States had also targeted Iranian facilities with B-2 bomber aircraft. These strikes have dealt a severe blow to Iran’s scientific and defense capabilities, and their regional and global implications are expected to become more apparent in the coming days.

Previous Attack On Irani Scientist

Israel has long been suspected of killing Iranian nuclear scientists but previously didn’t claim responsibility as it did this time.

In 2020, Iran blamed Israel for killing its top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, with a remote-controlled machine gun.