what has Israel done for the last few decades to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon
Israel has employed a multi-pronged approach to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, focusing on both overt and covert actions, as well as diplomatic efforts
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1. Covert Operations:
- Cyberattacks: Israel is widely believed to have carried out sophisticated cyberattacks against Iran's nuclear program. The most notable example is the Stuxnet worm, first detected in 2010, which reportedly damaged centrifuges at Iran's Natanz facility by causing them to malfunction while providing false data to system monitors. Though the U.S. and Israel have not officially confirmed responsibility, experts believe they collaborated on this operation, which aimed to disrupt Iran's nuclear efforts without requiring a physical attack.
- Assassinations: Several Iranian nuclear scientists have been assassinated over the past decade, and Israel is widely suspected of being behind these killings.
- Sabotage: Explosions and other incidents at Iranian nuclear facilities, such as the July 2020 Natanz explosion, are attributed to sabotage, likely carried out by Israel.
2. Military Strikes:
- Targeting Nuclear Facilities: In June 2025, Israel launched air strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, including the Natanz and Isfahan facilities. These strikes aimed to degrade Iran's nuclear capabilities and infrastructure.
- Targeting Military Infrastructure: Israel also targeted Iranian military infrastructure, including missile bases and command centers, as part of the broader effort to dismantle Iran's nuclear program and disrupt its military capabilities.
- Challenges: Some Iranian nuclear sites, such as the Fordow enrichment plant, are heavily fortified and buried deep underground, making them difficult to destroy with conventional weapons. Destroying Fordow would likely require the use of powerful bunker-buster bombs, which only the U.S. possesses.
3. Diplomatic Efforts:
- Opposition to the JCPOA: Israel strongly opposed the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, believing it did not adequately restrain Iran's nuclear ambitions.
- Lobbying the U.S. and International Community: Israel has worked to persuade the international community, particularly the United States, to apply diplomatic pressure and sanctions on Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. Israel also sought to influence negotiations, including the recent attempts to revive the JCPOA.
- Regime Change: While not formally stated, some analysts suggest that a thinly veiled goal of Israel's strategy may be to foster regime change in Iran.
4. Deterrence:
- Credible Military Option: Israel has made it clear that it reserves the right to use military force if necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The threat of a military strike serves as a deterrent.
Overall Effectiveness:
Israel's actions have undoubtedly caused setbacks to Iran's nuclear program, but experts suggest they may not be sufficient to permanently prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, especially as Iran continues to enrich uranium to near-weapons-grade levels. Some analysts believe that military strikes may actually incentivize Iran to accelerate its nuclear ambitions as a deterrent against future attacks.