Iran-Israel War: ‘Chernobyl in the Making?’ Explosions Rock Iran’s Nuclear Plant After US Strikes

Hours after U.S. strike, blasts heard at Bushehr, Iran's only nuclear plant.

Iran-Israel War: Tensions in the Middle East soared further on June 22 as explosions echoed through Iran's southern port city of Bushehr, home to the country's only operational nuclear power plant. The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the strike, saying it also targeted missile launchers in Isfahan and Ahvaz. The timing of the attack – barely hours after the United States struck three Iranian nuclear sites – has raised serious fears of a looming nuclear crisis.

While Iranian officials have yet to confirm any damage to the nuclear plant itself, concerns are mounting. Built with Russian assistance, the facility operates using nuclear fuel supplied by Moscow. The same fuel is shipped back to Russia after use to mitigate proliferation risks. As of now, Iranian authorities report no radiation leaks.

But the attack is being viewed in international circles as a dangerously provocative move.

Rafael Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), had previously warned that a direct strike on the Bushehr plant could trigger catastrophic consequences.

“A hit on the facility could lead to a massive release of radioactivity, affecting not just Iran but its neighbours as well,” he had said while addressing the UN Security Council.

Experts agree that if a direct strike compromises the reactor, the fallout could mirror nuclear disasters of the past. The comparison many are drawing is to Chernobyl. In that 1986 tragedy, a botched test led to an explosion and fire at a reactor in Ukraine, spreading radioactive contamination across Europe and causing long-term health damage to thousands.

According to international nuclear safety protocols, any such incident at Bushehr would demand swift protective actions. These would likely include mass evacuations, iodine distribution, food and water restrictions and large-scale radiation monitoring across several hundred kilometres.

Russia has issued its own warnings. With more than 600 personnel, including 250 permanent staff, stationed at the Bushehr facility, Moscow had reportedly sought assurances from Israel for their safety.

Rosatom chief Alexey Likhachev said any damage to the site could unleash a disaster on the scale of Chernobyl.

The Israeli military had previously claimed its mention of Bushehr as a target was a mistake. But the latest strikes tell a different story. As images of smoke rising over Bushehr surface on social media and satellite data, the world is left to reckon with the possibility that a new chapter in warfare – one where nuclear power plants become battlefronts – may be closer than ever imagined.

For now, the region holds its breath. Radiation levels remain normal. But questions remain – how close did the world come to a nuclear nightmare? And what happens if the next missile does not miss?