Aug 11, 11:50 AM

Iran Hides Nuclear Scientists as Tehran and Israel Exchange Assassination Threats

Iran has moved the surviving members of its nuclear-research staff into guarded safehouses after Israeli strikes in June killed more than 30 scientists, The Telegraph and other outlets reported. At least 15 specialists have been relocated to villas in Tehran and on the country’s northern coast and are now under round-the-clock protection. Israeli intelligence is said to be circulating a list of roughly 100 Iranian nuclear experts it labels “dead men walking.” Iranian officials fear the assassinations, which already erased decades of technical know-how, could further cripple efforts to rebuild facilities hit during the 12-day U.S.–Israeli air campaign. The confrontation escalated on 11 Aug. when Iranian-aligned media published the names of senior Israeli political and security figures it said were marked for assassination, according to Israel’s Channel N12. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz replied that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei should “look up at the sky” whenever he leaves his bunker, underscoring Israel’s readiness to retaliate. The exchange of threats comes as both countries continue a shadow war featuring cyberattacks and covert operations despite the June cease-fire. Diplomats warn that the spiralling tit-for-tat could widen the regional conflict and complicate efforts to contain Iran’s damaged but still-intact nuclear ambitions.