The International Atomic Energy Agency will soon remove nuclear material from clandestine facilities in Syria following an agreement reached between the White House, Damascus, and Israel, according to Axios. US and Israeli officials reported that a behind-the-scenes diplomatic and threat exchange resolved a months-long standoff over the secret site, with removal operations expected to conclude by the end of this year.
Background on Syrian Nuclear Sites and the 2007 Al-Kibar Bombing
The dispute stems from a covert nuclear program developed under former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad around the al-Kibar reactor in Deir Ezzor, according to Israeli, US, and IAEA assessments. Built with North Korean assistance, the plutonium production facility was targeted and bombed by Israel in 2007, an operation Israel refused to officially acknowledge until 2018. While that strike ended active nuclear weapon development at the site, research-and-development and storage infrastructure remained intact. Two Israeli officials told Axios that a location designated as “Site 99” was subsequently used by the Assad regime to store residual nuclear material.
Site 99 and the Threat of Yellowcake Material
The material remaining at Site 99 includes yellowcake, a uranium ore powder that can be utilized to build a dirty bomb—a conventional explosive designed to scatter radioactive material—or further enriched for a proper nuclear weapon. Following the fall of the Assad regime to Islamist-led rebels at the end of 2024, Israel bombed the entrance to the al-Kibar site. Over the next year, senior officials from the White House and the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office engaged in continuous bilateral discussions regarding Site 99. IAEA chairman Rafael Grossi stated in June 2025 that Syria had agreed to grant inspectors access to suspected former nuclear sites.
Turkey Concerns and the IAEA-Brokered Agreement
Tensions escalated several weeks ago when Israel detected activity at the site, raising suspicions that the new Syrian government was attempting to access the material. Israeli officials expressed concern that Turkey, a close ally of the new Syrian administration, was assisting Damascus in reaching the storage facility. In response, the Trump administration engaged the IAEA, leading to a formal agreement signed three weeks ago. A US official stated that Washington aims to initiate the removal process soon and finish it before the end of the year. The White House, the IAEA, and the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office all declined to comment on the report.