Does Israel Have Any Nuclear Weapons? A Look At Its Arsenal Amid Iran Conflict

Last Updated:June 21, 2025, 08:20 IST

While Israel attacked Iran on claims that Tehran was close to building a nuclear weapon, Israel itself is believed to have nearly 90 nuclear warheads.

Israeli strikes hit several nuclear sites and oil depots in Iran. (AFP)

Israel launched a devastating military campaign against Iran – eliminating top military commanders and senior nuclear scientists – on the pretext that Tehran was close to building a nuclear arsenal to the “point of no return".

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These claims were supported by US lawmakers and President Donald Trump, who dismissed his own intelligence agencies to support Israel’s assertions. However, fresh scrutiny has fallen on Israel’s own nuclear arsenal.

Israel is believed to be in possession of nuclear weapons, although it has neither acknowledged nor denied having such an arsenal. “I think a better term these days is implausible deniability," nuclear expert Jeffrey Lewis told NBC News.

How Many Nuclear Weapons Does Israel Have?

Some experts believe Israel has its own secretive nuclear weapons programme, which is expanding. Alexander K Bollfrass, a nuclear security expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, told the New York Times that Israel would never confirm or deny their nuclear arsenal, but would argue that it is not the first country to introduce such weapons in West Asia.

According to the Federation of American Scientists and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Israel is believed to have 90 nuclear warheads. Experts said Israel could fire nuclear warheads from fighter jets, submarines or ballistic missile ground launchers.

Israel is also one of the five countries – apart from India, Pakistan, North Korea and South Sudan – which is not a signatory to the UN Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which commits governments to promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Israel would have to give up its nukes to sign the treaty.

Due to Israel’s official stance of ambiguity regarding its nuclear program, the extent of the country’s nuclear capabilities is largely unclear. This is believed to part of keeping Israel’s enemies in dark about what the country can do in a crisis.

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When Did Israel Build A Nuclear Arsenal?

According to historical records, Israel had hoped to build a nuclear arsenal to help ensure the country’s safety after it was founded in 1948, when it was attacked by several countries in the West Asia not long after coming to existence, according to the Jewish Virtual Library.

The Israeli Atomic Energy Commission was established in 1952, and its first chairman, Ernst David Bergmann, said that a nuclear bomb would ensure that “we shall never again be led as lambs to the slaughter’. Researchers believe Israel began building a nuclear weapons development site in 1958 near the town of Dimona.

The Arms Control Association said Israel secretly developed the ability to build nuclear explosives in 1967, and the United States was “convinced" by 1973 that Israel was in possession of nuclear arms, as per the Federation of American Scientists.

Mordechai Vanunu, a former Israeli nuclear technician who worked at Israel’s nuclear reactor, publicly disclosed details about the work to a UK-based newspaper, embarrassing the Israeli government and undermining its policy of strategic ambiguity. Vanunu was jailed for treason in 1986 and released in 2004.

Concerns Over Israel’s Nuclear Arsenal

Several organisations have expressed concern that the ambiguity around Israel’s nuclear program hinders efforts to ensure the peaceful use of nuclear energy in West Asia and would only serve to fuel Iran’s nuclear ambitions, rather than deterring it.

Israel is yet to use its nuclear weapons. However, there is a growing belief that Israel is building a new reactor in Dimona to increase its nuclear capability. A report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said Israel appeared to be upgrading a reactor site to produce plutonium, which can be used both for nuclear weapons and some peaceful purposes.

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

Read More

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Jerusalem, Israel

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News world Does Israel Have Any Nuclear Weapons? A Look At Its Arsenal Amid Iran Conflict