Iran Warns of Strike on Dimona Reactor if Israel Attempts Regime Change

Iran has warned that Israel could face a nuclear disaster if Tel Aviv continues attempts to destabilize the Iranian government. The statement was reported by ISNA, citing an unnamed military source.

According to the source, Tehran may target Israel's nuclear reactor in the city of Dimona if the United States and Israel pursue regime change in Iran.

"If the United States and Israel attempt to change the regime in Iran, Tehran will strike the nuclear reactor in the city of Dimona.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has not issued an official statement confirming the threat.

Previous Attacks and Rising Tensions

The warning follows earlier escalations between Iran and Israel. In 2025, amid exchanges of missile strikes, Tehran launched an attack toward Dimona and warned that additional strikes could follow.

At the time, a large-scale disaster was avoided. Shortly afterward, US forces carried out strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities — Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan — key centers of Iran's nuclear program.

Dimona and Israel's Nuclear Ambiguity

The city of Dimona, with a population of slightly over 40,000 people, hosts one of Israel's two nuclear research centers. According to unconfirmed reports, the reactor located there may be capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium.

Alongside potential military applications, the facility also produces radioactive isotopes used in medical and scientific research.

Israel is widely considered one of the world's nine nuclear-armed states. However, the country has never officially confirmed or denied possessing nuclear weapons.

A phrase attributed to former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir is often cited in this context:

"First, we do not have nuclear weapons. Second, if necessary, we will use them.”

There is no confirmed information that Israel has conducted nuclear weapons tests. According to estimates by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Israel may possess roughly 80 nuclear warheads.

Drone Warfare Creates Strategic Imbalance

The latest warnings come amid broader military confrontation in the region. On February 28, the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran.

In response, Iran carried out missile and drone strikes against Israeli territory and US military bases in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan. Iranian forces also ordered restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The growing use of relatively inexpensive drones by Iran has created a major economic challenge for the United States and its allies.

According to The New York Times, the cost ratio between defense and attack can reach extreme levels. Intercepting a single drone may cost dozens of times more than producing it.

American Patriot air defense systems rely on interceptor missiles that cost roughly three million dollars each, while Iranian drones may cost between $20,000 and $50,000 to manufacture.

This imbalance allows Iran to pressure its adversaries economically while maintaining sustained aerial attacks.