Report: Two More “Accidental” Explosions at Iran Nuke Sites

Michael Ledeen reports that the Natanz uranium enrichment site has been shut down after a mysterious blast happened “in the next-to-bottom level of the underground structure.” A second explosion has struck a site in Zarin Dasht that is used for producing warheads and missile fuel and 7 people are missing.

What is remarkable about these two alleged explosions is that they happened in the underground portions of the facilities—that is, the most secure parts. If foreign hands are responsible, then the Iranian regime must be panic-stricken.

"Mysterious" and "accidental" explosions in the most secure parts of the deep underground facilities. Don't you just hate when that happens?

An overview of these “accidental” explosions and mysterious assassinations makes it clear that a major campaign has been underway to damage the Iranian nuclear program. During the past 12 months:

• March 2012: Explosion at Natanz enrichment site reportedly shuts down the facility. A second explosion is reported at a site related to missile fuel and warheads at Zarin Dasht.
• January 11, 2012: Iranian nuclear scientist who worked at the Natanz site is killed.
• December 11, 2011: Explosion at Yazd steel plant that reportedly is connected to the ballistic missile program.
• November 28, 2011: Massive explosions near the Isfahan uranium conversion site. A nearby storage site, possibly housing uranium, is destroyed.
• November 12, 2011: A Revolutionary Guards missile base at Bid Kaneh near Tehran is destroyed by explosions, killing the top missile engineer.
• October 12, 2011: An ammunitions depot at a Revolutionary Guards base at Khorramabad blows up. The base housed Shahab-3 missiles, which Iran has been working on a nuclear warhead for.
• July 23, 2011: A nuclear scientist specializing in neutron transport is killed.

Israeli defense officials have told the country’s Political Security Cabinet that they believe there would only be 300 Israeli casualties maximum if military action is taken. In November, Defense Minister Barak said that “there is no chance” that “even 500” Israelis will be killed in response to strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The question is whether these incidents are a warm-up act to an Israeli military campaign or a replacement.