The factory producing centrifuges for Iran’s nuclear project, which was reportedly targeted by a mysterious drone attack on Wednesday, was among a handful of facilities presented by Israeli intelligence to the previous White House administration as potential targets for sabotage attacks, The New York Times revealed Thursday.
According to the report, other possible actions against Iran detailed by Jerusalem to Washington early last year included a strike on the Natanz nuclear plant and the assassination of top scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, both eventually carried out by unknown actors.
The centrifuge workshop, located in the Tehran suburb of Karaj, is deemed crucial for the Islamic Republic’s aspirations to enrich uranium enough to assemble an atomic bomb. The extent of the damage has yet to be made clear, as Tehran officials claimed Thursday that the strike was thwarted and that no damage or casualties were sustained. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the incident.