Nuclear and Radiation Accidents - Nuclear Reactor Attacks

Nuclear Reactor Attacks

Nuclear reactors become preferred targets during military conflict and, over the past three decades, have been repeatedly attacked during military air strikes, occupations, invasions and campaigns:

• Between 18 December 1977 and 13 June 1979 ETA carried out several attacks on Lemoniz Nuclear Power Plant in Spain while it was still under construction.
• In September 1980, Iran bombed the Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex in Iraq, in Operation Scorch Sword.
• In June 1981, an Israeli air strike completely destroyed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear research facility.
• On 8 January 1982, Umkhonto we Sizwe attacked Koeberg nuclear power plant in South Africa while it was still under construction.
• Between 1984 and 1987, Iraq bombed Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant six times.
• In Iraq in 1991, The U.S. bombed three nuclear reactors and an enrichment pilot facility.
• In 1991, Iraq launched Scud missiles at Israel’s Dimona nuclear power plant.
• In September 2003, Israel bombed a Syrian reactor under construction.