Israel, US, Syria, and IAEA Agree to Remove Nuclear Materials from Syria’s Secret Site

In a complex diplomatic development first reported by Channel 12 News on August 11, 2026, Israel, the United States, Syria, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reached a confidential agreement to remove nuclear materials from Syria’s secret "Site 99." This site stored remnants and materials originally acquired for Syria’s covert nuclear reactor program at Al-Kibar, which Israel destroyed in a 2007 airstrike.

The 2007 Israeli strike eliminated the core of Syria’s nuclear ambitions, but scattered infrastructure and materials remained across the country, including at Site 99. After the fall of the Assad regime and the rise of a new government in Damascus, concerns grew over potential leakage or misuse of these materials. Israel closely monitored Site 99 and even conducted preemptive strikes on its entrances to prevent unauthorized access.

Key terms clarified include "yellowcake," a concentrated uranium powder stored at Site 99, which is not immediately radioactive or weaponizable but serves as a raw material for enrichment processes. Also explained are nuclear fuel rods and the concept of a "dirty bomb," a conventional explosive combined with radioactive material intended to cause contamination and panic rather than a nuclear explosion. The materials at Site 99 are insufficient for building a nuclear bomb but could be used in a dirty bomb, which was a major concern for Israeli and American officials.

The IAEA, responsible for monitoring and preventing nuclear proliferation, brokered the agreement with Syria’s new government to safely remove all nuclear materials from Site 99. This diplomatic resolution avoids the need for further military action and effectively closes the chapter on Syria’s nuclear file.

This development underscores ongoing international efforts to control nuclear materials in volatile regions and highlights Israel’s proactive intelligence and military measures to prevent nuclear threats from emerging in Syria.