Washington and Jerusalem officials told the New York Times that incidents in Iran's military facilities are part of a new strategy by the states against the Islamic Republic.

• Satellite photo of the damage done to the Natanz facility // Photo: Reuters

The wave of explosions that has hit Iran in recent weeks is part of a change in the Israeli-American strategy aimed at resolving the Iranian threat, the New York Times newspaper said in a comprehensive article on the issue. 

The paper, citing senior sources in Jerusalem and Washington, claims that cooperation between the states is behind the explosions and fires that took place at several sensitive military sites where the uranium enrichment facility near the city of Natanz, a rocket base in Parzin south of the capital and probably at the base of Revolutionary Guards in the western Tehran district. 

According to the claims, the purpose of the cooperation is to "undermine the Iranians and show them that even their most reserved nuclear and missile bases have been breached." The senior told The New York Times: "A joint Israeli-American strategy is evolving into a series of near-war secret operations aimed at eliminating prominent leaders in the Revolutionary Guards and damaging the Iranian nuclear program."

Analysts told the newspaper that in the short term, Israel and Washington are building that Iran's response to operations will be limited, such as after the assassination of Quds Force commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Qasim Suleimani, in January. 

More on:

The Netanz blast - the worst blow to Iran's nuclear program

Sources in Iran: The fire at Netzane's nuclear plant was caused by Israeli cyber attack

Documentation: Chlorine leak at plant in Iran

The American newspaper also reported that security forces involved in the explosion that occurred at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility claimed that the damage to the centrifuge development center was far greater than initially thought, and that new satellite images indicate this. We have been told by the experts that it will take at least two years to repair the devastation caused and return the Iranian nuclear content to its previous state. 

The spokesman for the Islamic Republic, Ali Wednesday, claimed this week that, despite "significant damage" to Iran's nuclear program, "it is unstoppable" and the facility in Natanz is working as it should.