Targeting nuclear scientists used to be secret. Israel just detonated open

at least 14 nuclear scholars They are believed to be among those who were killed in the Israeli operation LionIt was launched on June 13, 2025, on the surface to destroy or deteriorate the Iranian nuclear program and military capabilities.

Scientists target in this way It aims to disrupt Iranian knowledge base and continuity in nuclear experience. Among those who were assassinated He was Muhammad Mahdi TahrashiTheoretical physicist and president of the Iranian Islamic University of Azad, and Fereydoun Abbasi-DavaniNuclear engineer who led the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization.

Collectively, these experts in physics and engineering were Potential caliphs To Mohsen Fakhrazadeh, he is widely considered the architect of the Iranian nuclear program, which It was assassinated In the November 2020 attack, he blames a lot of blame for Israel.

two political Scholars When writing a book on the state’s targeting of scientists as a tool for counter -leasing offers, we are well understood that nuclear scientists have been targeted since the start of the nuclear era. We have collected data on nearly 100 cases that we call the “world that targets” from 1944 to 2025.

The recent assassination campaign against Iranian scientists is different from many previous episodes in several main ways. The Israeli attack recently targeted multiple nuclear experts and spoke simultaneously with the military force to destroy Iran Nuclear facilitiesAnd air defenses and Energy infrastructure. Also, unlike previous secret operations, Israel immediately Responsibility claim For assassinations.

But our research indicates this Targeting Scientists may not be effective for infection. Although the removal of individual experience may delay nuclear acquisition, it is unlikely to target targeting alone a program and can increase the country’s desire for nuclear weapons. Moreover, targeting scientists may cause attention to Legitimacy and ethics.

A long history policy

Nuclear scientists began targeting during World War II when the alliance was Race to pick up Nazi scientists, who flow on Adolf Hitler’s ability to build a nuclear bomb and use their expertise to enhance American and Soviet nuclear programs.

In our data collection, we classified “targeting” as deals in which scientists were arrested, threatened, wounded, or killed when states tried to prevent opponents from obtaining weapons of mass destruction. Over time, at least four countries targeted scientists working in nine national nuclear programs.

It was claimed that the United States and Israel carried out most of the attacks on nuclear scientists. But the UK and the Soviet Union were behind these attacks.

Meanwhile, scientists working on Egyptian, Iranian and Iraqi nuclear programs have been the most common targets since 1950. Since 2007 and before the current Israeli operation, 10 scientists involved in the Iranian nuclear program have been killed in attacks. Citizens of other countries were also targeted: In 1980, Moussad claimed the Israeli intelligence service, claiming that the house of Italian engineer Mario Fiorelli and his company, Snia Techint, Warning for Europeans Participation in the Iraqi nuclear project.

Given this date, the fact that Israel attacked the Iranian nuclear program is not surprising in itself. In fact, it was a strategic target for the contracting heads of Israeli ministers to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and Experts were warning It is possible to increase the Israeli military process since mid -2014, due to regional dynamics and Iranian nuclear development.

By that time, the balance of power in the Middle East has changed significantly. Israel has deteriorated leadership and infrastructure of Iranian agents agitation and Hezbollah. He – she It was later destroyed Iranian air defenses around Tehran and near the main nuclear establishments. The subsequent fall of the Assad regime in Syria The cost of Tehran is another long -term ally. Together, these developments have Vulvance Iran is greatlyHe left it vulnerable to the external attack and stripped it Agent Network onceWhich was expected to be reduced on behalf of this in the event of hostile actions.

Thanks to the agent, “The Axis of Resistance”, traditional and traditional military capacity deteriorated, the Iranian leadership may have believed that expanding its enrichment ability was the best bet to go forward.

In the months before Israel’s last attack, Iran expanded its nuclear production capacity, Iran, Uranium enrichment exceeded 60 %Less technical step than weapons. During the first period of Donald Trump, the president U.S. withdrawal From the multilateral non -spread agreement aims to curb the Iranian nuclear program. After his re -election, Trump It seems that it changes Tac By pursuing new diplomacy with Iran, but these talks have so far failed to submit an agreement – and they may be suspended in the foreseeable future in the war.

Recently, the International Governors Council of the Atomic Energy Agency Iran declared non -compliance With its nuclear non -institutional obligations. In response, Iran announced it was Increased expansion of its enrichment ability By adding advanced centrifugal technology and the third enrichment site.

Even if the international community expects the broader attack on Iran, the targeting characteristics themselves are surprising. Historically, countries are targeting individual scientists secretly. But the last multi -scientist attack occurred publicly, with Israel, a responsibility, publicly indicating the purpose of the attacks. Moreover, although it is not new to the country, the country is used to use multiple counter tools for a discount over time, Israel uses both Preventive military power Against infrastructure and targeting scientists simultaneously at an atheist.

In addition, such attacks against scientists are historically lower than technology and low cost, with death or injury caused by militants, car bombs or accidents. In fact, Abbasi – who was killed in the latest attacks – survived 2010 bombing the car In Tehran. However, there are extremist values, including the assassination of Fakherzadeh, which appeared A machine gun operating remotely It was smuggled into Iranian territory.

The logic of Israel in following the scholars

Why do you target nuclear scientists?

In foreign policy, there are many available tools if the country aims to prevent another country from obtaining nuclear weapons. Besides targeting scientists, there Penaltiesand diplomacyand Electronic attacks and Force.

The targeting of scientists may remove critical scientific experience and impose costs that increase the difficulty of building nuclear weapons. Supporters argue that targeting these experts may undermine the efforts of the state, and deter them from the continuous nuclear developments and refer to others the risks of supporting nuclear spread.

Thus, the countries that target scientists believe that doing this is an effective way to reduce the nuclear program of the opponent. In fact, the Israel Defense Forces The latest attacks described As “a major blow to the regime’s ability to obtain weapons of mass destruction.”

Despite Israel’s focus on scientists as sources of critical knowledge, it may be there Thousands of others Working inside Iran, and questioning the effectiveness of their targeting. Moreover, there Legal, moral and moral concerns To target scientists.

Moreover, it is a risky option that may fail to disrupt a nuclear enemy program with anger and call for revenge. This is particularly the case if scientists, who are considered civilians often, are, they are High as martyrs.

The targeting of campaigns, as a result, may enhance the government’s local support, which can double efforts towards nuclear development.

Regardless of whether the targeting of scientists is an effective tool for counter-spread, it has been present since the beginning of the nuclear era-and it is likely to continue as part of the group of foreign policy tools of countries that aim to prevent spread. In the event of the current Israeli conflict with Iran and its targeting of nuclear scientists, we expect the tactic to continue throughout the war and outside the war.

Gina JordanAssociate Professor of International Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology and Rachel WhitlarkAssociate Professor of International Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology. This article has been republished from Conversation Under the creative public license. Read The original article.