Yossi Cohen, former director of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, stated that the organization’s operatives had previously visited Iran’s underground Fordow uranium enrichment facility multiple times to gather intelligence on the site.
Speaking on Tuesday, August 11, at the Galilee Conference in Safed, Cohen noted: “We visited the Fordow nuclear site many times to understand this site,” according to The Times of Israel. He refrained from elaborating on the specific dates of these visits or the identities of the operatives involved.
Referring to the U.S. strike on the facility, Cohen added: “Its bombing by the Americans was the fulfillment of all my dreams.”
The Fordow facility, alongside nuclear centers in Isfahan and Natanz, suffered extensive damage during the 12-day Israel–Iran war in June 2025. Previous reports indicated that roughly 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium stored at the site were buried beneath the rubble. However, Israeli intelligence maintains that Iran subsequently transferred a portion of these uranium stockpiles to the “Pickaxe Mountain” (Kuh-e Pickaxe) site following the conflict.
Cohen also remarked that uranium enriched to 60 percent purity remains far from weapon-grade material. This statement diverges from assessments by several nuclear experts, including David Albright, who previously noted that 60% enriched uranium can be further enriched to weapons-grade levels within days or weeks if Tehran decides to weaponize.
