Chernobyl in the Gulf: US-Israel missile hits Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant. World at risk of 'regional-scale radiological disaster'?

A projectile struck Iran’s only operational nuclear power plant this week, according to the UN's nuclear watchdog on Wednesday. Taking to social media, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that they have been "informed by Iran that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr NPP on Tuesday evening". The strike on Tehran’s Bushehr nuclear plant, which is located on the shores of the Persian Gulf, comes as the war between the United States, Israel and Iran continues for the 19th day. Is the nuclear plant damaged? Is the region on the brink of a Chornobyl-style radiological and environmental disaster that could render the Persian Gulf uninhabitable? All you need to know.

How Close Did the Projectile Get to the Bushehr Nuclear Core?

In a terrifying escalation of the regional war, the IAEA has confirmed that a projectile hit the premises of Iran's only operational nuclear reactor at Bushehr. Russia’s Tass news agency, citing Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev, reported that the strike “hit the area adjacent to the metrology service building located at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant site." This, he said, was "in close proximity to the operating power unit.”

While no damage to the plant or injuries to the staff had been reported, the Vienna-based agency warned that the strike "violates the seven indispensable pillars related to ensuring nuclear safety and security during an armed conflict". Agency head Rafael Grossi reiterated "his call for restraint during the conflict to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident."

"Although there was no damage to the reactor itself nor injuries to staff, any attack at or near nuclear power plants violates the seven indispensable pillars related to ensuring nuclear safety and security during an armed conflict and should never take place," read the statement.

Russia, meanwhile, has erupted in fury, accusing Israel and the United States of a "wholly unacceptable" strike.

Why is Russia Warning of a 'Radiological Disaster' in the Persian Gulf?

Russia, which helped build the nuclear plant in Bushehr and had staff on the site, confirmed reports of a missile strike on the NPP's inner perimeter. Calling the attack "completely unacceptable," Moscow said that the US and Israel "must refrain from reckless attacks on nuclear infrastructure".

Speaking during a weekly briefing, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that attacks on nuclear infrastructure "pose a real risk of a regional-scale radiological and environmental disaster". She added that her country has repeatedly warned Washington and Tel Aviv against "threatening the lives" of Russian personnel working at the plant.

Are the US and Israel Targeting Iranian Nuclear Sites?

This was the first confirmed attack on a nuclear power plant during the course of the current United States-Israel large-scale military conflict with Iran.

However, it must be noted that in June 2025, during the war that came to be known as the Twelve-Day War, Washington's Operation Midnight Hammer used B-2 stealth bombers to drop GBU-57 "bunker buster" bombs to target Iranian nuclear sites. The massive airstrikes led to significant damage at four Iranian nuclear sites. Natanz had been effectively obliterated, and the heavily fortified Fordow facility, which is buried deep underground, sustained major, potentially catastrophic structural damage. In Isfahan, the Nuclear Technology Centre was heavily damaged, while the heavy-water reactor at Arak was similarly crippled.

The Bushehr plant, located in southwestern Iran, is the country’s only functioning nuclear power reactor. It was connected to the national grid in 2011 and remains central to Iran’s civilian nuclear programme.

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.