DUBAI: The International Atomic Energy Agency said Tuesday it believes Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s Natanz enrichment site have had “direct impacts” on the facility’s underground centrifuge halls. The strikes are part of an air campaign Israel launched against its longtime foe five days ago, targeting Iran’s military and nuclear program. This marks the first time the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has assessed damage from the strikes in the underground parts of Natanz, which is the main enrichment facility of Iran’s nuclear program.

The IAEA says radiation levels outside the Natanz and Isfahan facilities remain normal following Friday's Israeli strikes.

It is very likely that all the roughly 15,000 centrifuges operating at Iran's biggest uranium enrichment plant at Natanz were badly damaged or destroyed because of a power cut…