Image: from Mario Nawfal X @MarioNawfal
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies
TEHRAN – The Iranian Armed Forces issued a chilling ultimatum on Thursday, warning that they are prepared to launch an attack against Israel’s Dimona nuclear facilities if the United States and Israel proceed with efforts toward “regime change” in Iran.
The threat, disseminated via the Iranian news agency ISNA, specifically targets the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center near Dimona. A high-ranking Iranian military official stated that should the joint offensive continue to seek the dismantling of the current government, Tehran would consider the reactor, located in what they termed “occupied territories”—a primary target for retaliation.
A Fortress Under Fire
The Dimona reactor, situated in the Negev desert, is widely considered the cornerstone of Israel’s strategic defense and is among the most heavily fortified sites in the world. An attack on such a facility would represent a massive escalation in a conflict that has already destabilized global energy markets and sent shockwaves through international diplomacy.
The Iranian warning follows aggressive rhetoric from Jerusalem. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Wednesday that any successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in the initial waves of the offensive, would also be considered an “unequivocal target for elimination.”
Mounting Casualties and Retaliation
The joint U.S.-Israeli campaign has entered a devastating new phase. Iranian authorities report that the offensive has claimed more than 1,000 lives within the country so far. The casualties include high-ranking military officials and government ministers who died alongside Khamenei during the weekend strikes.
In response, Tehran has already initiated a series of counter-strikes, deploying barrages of missiles and drones against Israel and U.S. military bases stationed across the Middle East. The threat to Dimona suggests that Iran is willing to move beyond conventional military targets toward high-stakes infrastructure if the existential threat to its leadership persists.
Global Security at a Breaking Point
International observers are watching the situation with increasing alarm. The potential for a strike on a nuclear facility raises the specter of environmental catastrophe and an uncontrollable regional war. While Israel has long maintained a policy of “nuclear ambiguity,” the strategic importance of Dimona makes any threat against it a red line for Israeli security forces.
As the conflict intensifies, the prospect of a diplomatic off-ramp appears increasingly slim, with both sides signaling a fight for total political and military survival.