The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it believed Israeli airstrikes on Iran's uranium enrichment facility at Natanz had a “direct impact” on the facility's underground centrifuge halls.
The strikes are part of an air campaign Israel launched against its long-time foe five days ago, targeting Iran's military and nuclear programme.
It is the first time the UN nuclear watchdog has assessed damage from strikes on underground parts of Natanz, home to the main enrichment facility of Iran's nuclear programme.
“Based on ongoing analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery collected since Friday's attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements indicating a direct impact on the underground uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz,” the agency said.
The above-ground enrichment plant had already been destroyed, as had the electrical equipment that powered the facility.
Israel continued its bombing of Iran on Tuesday, while US President Donald Trump issued an ominous message calling on residents of Tehran to evacuate.
“Iran cannot have nuclear weapons,” Mr. Trump tweeted on Monday evening before returning early to Washington from the G7 summit in Canada.
“Everyone should evacuate Tehran immediately!” he added.
Mr Trump later denied he was rushing to return to work on a cease-fire, telling reporters aboard Air Force One on a flight back to Washington: “I'm not looking at a cease-fire. We're looking at something bigger than a cease-fire.”
Asked why he called for the evacuation of Tehran, he replied: “I just want people to be safe.”
Earlier, the Israeli military called for the evacuation of about 330,000 residents of a district in central Tehran.
Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East, with a population of about 10 million, roughly equal to the population of all of Israel. People have been fleeing since the fighting began.
Israel says its sweeping offensive against Iran's top military brass, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment facilities and ballistic missile program is necessary to keep its longtime adversary from getting anywhere near a nuclear weapon.
Strikes in Iran since Friday have killed at least 224 people and wounded 1,277.
Iran responded by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel.
Israel has so far killed 24 people and injured more than 500. The Israeli military said a new salvo of rockets was fired on Tuesday, with explosions heard in northern Israel.
Central Tehran appeared to be empty on Tuesday morning, with many shops closed. The ancient Grand Bazaar was also closed, a move that has previously only happened during anti-government demonstrations or at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
On the roads from Tehran to the west, traffic was bumper to bumper, with many appearing to be heading towards the Caspian Sea region. Long lines could also be seen at petrol stations in Tehran, with printed posters and billboards calling for a “tough” response to Israel visible throughout the city.
Authorities have cancelled holidays for doctors and nurses as attacks continue, but insist everything is under control and have given no instructions to the public on what to do.
The Israeli military, meanwhile, said it had killed someone it called Iran's top general in a strike on Tehran. Iran did not immediately comment on the reported killing of Gen. Ali Shadmani, who had just been appointed head of the Central Headquarters of Khatam al-Anbiya, part of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
Iran has appointed other generals to replace top Guard and regular military leaders after they were killed in previous strikes.
Before leaving the summit in Canada, Mr Trump joined other leaders in a joint statement saying Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon” and calling for “a de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza”.
French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters that talks were underway on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, but Mr Trump appeared to contradict those claims in comments on social media.
Mr Macron “wrongly said I left the G7 summit in Canada to go back to Washington to work on a ‘ceasefire’ between Israel and Iran,” Mr Trump wrote. “Wrong! He has no idea why I’m heading to Washington now, but it definitely has nothing to do with a ceasefire. Much more.”
Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth headed to the White House Situation Room to meet with the president and his national security team.
Mr. Hegseth did not give details about the reasons for the meeting, but told Fox News late Monday that the action was intended to “keep our people safe.”
Mr Trump said he was not prepared to abandon diplomatic talks and could send Vice President J.D. Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians.
“Maybe,” he said. “It depends on what happens when I get back.”
Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said on Monday that his country's forces had “achieved complete air superiority over Tehran.”
The military said it had destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers in central Iran, a third of Iran's total, including several launchers just before they launched ballistic missiles toward Israel. It also destroyed two F-14 fighter jets that Iran had used to attack Israeli aircraft, the military said.
The Israeli military also said fighter jets struck 10 command centers in Tehran belonging to Iran's Quds Force, an elite unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that conducts military and intelligence operations outside Iran.
The Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for a section of central Tehran that houses state television and police headquarters, as well as three major hospitals, including one run by the Guard. It issued similar evacuation warnings for parts of the Gaza Strip and Lebanon ahead of the strikes.
An Israeli airstrike hit the headquarters of an Iranian state television station on Monday, forcing a presenter to flee her studio during a live broadcast. The Israeli military said Tuesday that the station was targeted because “the broadcast channel was being used to spread anti-Israeli propaganda.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli strikes had set Iran's nuclear programme back “for a very, very long time” and told reporters he was in daily contact with Mr Trump.
Iran claims its nuclear program is peaceful.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
