US testing nuclear bombs amid Iran war? Over 100 mysterious quakes rattle military base near Area 51
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "US testing nuclear bombs amid Iran war? Over 100 mysterious quakes rattle military base near Area 51")
A warning sign is posted at an entrance gate to the Nevada Test and Training Range, the government's official name for what is known as Area 51, on September 21, 2019 near Rachel, Nevada. Photograph: (AFP)
More than 100 small earthquakes near the Tonopah Test Range, close to Area 51 in Nevada have triggered speculation about possible US nuclear testing.
Mysterious earthquakes near the US military’s base close to Area 51 have sparked speculations about whether the United States is conducting nuclear tests amid war with Iran. The Tonopah Test Range in Nevada, which is also referred to as Area 51, is known for stockpiling nuclear weapons. The region has seen over 100 seismic events in the last week amid military escalation in the Middle East, according to reports.
In recent days, the range has experienced several tremors, from small to slightly significant ones according to the US Geological Survey. The mysterious earthquakes began on Sunday (Mar 1) at Area 52, which is about three hours northeast of Las Vegas and close to Area 51. For decades, the remote region has been believed to be a site where the US military carries out experimental aircraft testing and nuclear weapons research.
On Sunday, the USGS detected 16 moderate tremors, all stronger than 2.5 magnitude, near the Tonopah Test Range. Over the last week, scientists have detected tremors ranging from a minor 1.0 and 1.9 magnitude earthquakes to stronger than 3.0, which could be felt by anyone on the ground nearby.
The strongest of these quakes was recorded on Sunday at 11.37 am ET, when a magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck the remote region of the Nevada desert, roughly 48 miles northeast of Tonopah. The tremors were reportedly felt by residents as far away as Carson City, over 180 miles to the west, and Las Vegas, 175 miles south.
No official confirmation or cause of the earthquakes have been provided by the US authorities.
This comes after the US and Israeli military launched strikes on Iran on Saturday (Feb 28), killing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several other top Iranian officials. The operation was named ‘Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Lion’s Roar’ by Israel. The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and ongoing talks over Iran’s nuclear program. In retaliation, Iran launched attacks on Israel and US military bases in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
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Khamenei’s death was confirmed on March 1, with Iran vowing strong revenge over the killing of its supreme leader and warning that US bases in the region would be treated as American territory. Gulf states have cautioned against further escalation, even as Washington and Tel Aviv signal that operations could continue for weeks.
As the conflict escalates, Iran-aligned groups have joined the fight. International leaders have called for de-escalation as some condemned the US-led action, while most NATO allies voiced support for Washington.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.
