The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plans to move forward in the coming period with removing nuclear material from a secret facility in Syria, Axios reported, citing officials from the United States and Israel.
The operation follows coordination between the government of Donald Trump, Damascus and Israel, which produced an agreement on how to handle the material. Washington and the IAEA pushed for a diplomatic solution because officials feared the case could spark new tension in the region, potentially drawing in Turkey.
US officials believe the handling of the issue has reinforced Trump's strategy toward Syria's new leadership, and that channels built between Washington and Damascus helped prevent a crisis over the facility. Contacts, warnings and behind-the-scenes talks began months earlier without becoming public, and the solution the parties reached took shape only in recent weeks.
Assad's nuclear legacy
The regime of Bashar al-Assad had built a secret nuclear program, a key part of which was the Al-Kibar reactor. In 2007, Israel carried out an airstrike on the reactor that effectively dismantled most of Syria's nuclear program. Sites once used for research, development and material storage remained in the country, though most had stopped operating actively.
After Assad's overthrow, Syria's new leadership allowed the IAEA to inspect both Al-Kibar and other locations linked to the former regime's nuclear activities. Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said the new Syrian government is seeking to close open and highly sensitive files left behind by the Assad regime, including nuclear and chemical weapons issues that could hinder Damascus's effort to restore ties with the international community.
What is at Facility 99
At the center of the case is a site known as Facility 99, which Israeli authorities have closely monitored for about two years. Two Israeli officials said nuclear materials tied to the Al-Kibar reactor program were transferred and stored there under Assad.
A US official said the materials include yellowcake, a concentrated uranium ore powder that can undergo further processing before being used in the nuclear fuel cycle. Residue and waste from Al-Kibar were reportedly moved to the same site. The stockpile is not considered suitable for building a nuclear weapon, but officials said it could be used for a dirty bomb, a conventional explosive device that scatters radioactive material over an area without a nuclear blast.
Israeli warnings and fear of a new strike
After Assad's regime fell, Israeli armed forces struck the entrances to the facility, according to Israeli officials, to make access harder. The issue was the subject of consultations between the United States and Israel for more than a year, involving senior officials from the White House National Security Council and the equivalent body in the Israeli prime minister's office.
Israel told Washington it did not consider it acceptable for the nuclear material to remain at the site, and, according to Israeli officials, warned it could launch a new strike if the material was not removed or if there were signs the new Syrian authorities were trying to reach it. A US official said that despite Israel's strong concern, no new attack ultimately took place.
Washington turns to diplomacy
The United States and Israel ultimately concluded, according to a US official, that the safest option was to secure the new Syrian government's consent to remove the materials. When Washington raised the issue with Damascus, Syrian officials reportedly said they had not known until then that nuclear material was present at the facility.
Very few people in the United States, Israel and Syria knew this fact, a US official said, speaking positively of the cooperation developed with Syria's new leadership. The official added that when working with the Syrians on various issues, they are good partners.
Suspicions over Syria and the Turkey factor
New concern arose a few weeks ago when Israeli services monitoring the area recorded activity they considered suspicious. According to Israeli and US officials, Israel formed the impression that Syria's new government might be trying to violate the agreement and gain access to the stored materials.
Israeli concerns also extended to Turkey's role, amid suspicion that Ankara may have been helping Damascus reach the nuclear material. A US official said the Israelis always carefully check various issues to make sure everything is fine, and that it is good they do so. Facing the risk of new military action, the Trump administration asked Israel not to proceed with any move and informed the IAEA of developments.
Agreement to remove the material
The diplomatic effort culminated about three weeks ago in an agreement between the Syrian government and the IAEA to remove the nuclear material from Facility 99. Preparation is continuing and, according to US officials, the materials remain at the site for now.
The US official said they believe everyone is satisfied with the outcome, and that they hope to start the removal process soon and complete it before the end of the year.
