US and Israel Agree to Remove Nuclear Material from Secret Syrian Site

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is set to soon remove nuclear material stored at a secret site in Syria, following agreements reached between the Trump administration, Syria, and Israel, according to Israeli and American sources cited by Axios. One of the closely monitored facilities over the past two years is known as "Site 99." Israeli officials say the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar reactor project. An American source revealed that the material included "yellowcake," a uranium powder that can be further processed and enriched as part of the nuclear fuel cycle. The source added that Site 99 also contained remnants and residues from Al-Kibar. Although the material cannot be used to produce nuclear weapons, it could be used to create a "dirty bomb," a conventional explosive that disperses radioactive material to contaminate an area rather than cause a nuclear explosion. Israeli officials noted that the Israel Defense Forces bombed the entrances to the site shortly after the fall of the Assad regime to prevent access to it.