Satellite Imagery Reveals Changes at Syria’s al-Kibar Nuclear Site

Recent satellite imagery analyzed by Misbar's team at Alaraby TV, has revealed rapid changes at the site of the al-Kibar reactor in Syria’s eastern Deir ez-Zor province, nearly 19 years after the facility was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike.

Excavation Work at the al-Kibar Reactor Site

A comparison of images captured on August 8 and 19 shows signs of excavation and earthmoving in parts of the site, coinciding with the return of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to one of the most opaque files concerning Syria’s nuclear program.

The changes are consistent with announcements by Damascus and the IAEA following IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s visit to Syria on August 17 and 18.

Grossi’s Visit to Syria

According to a joint statement, Grossi reviewed excavation work being carried out by Syrian authorities in Deir ez-Zor and inspected features related to the IAEA’s assessment of nuclear activities previously conducted at the site. The work is expected to continue according to steps and a timeline agreed upon by the two sides. The visit marked the IAEA’s first access to the site since its previous visit in 2008.

However, activity at al-Kibar is part of a broader effort to resolve long-standing questions surrounding Syria’s nuclear program. On July 17, the Syrian government formally notified the IAEA of the presence of nuclear material at another undisclosed site dating back to the former regime. During his latest visit, Grossi inspected the Deir ez-Zor site, along with the location associated with the material.

He said the material amounted to “a few tons of nuclear material,” confirming that it would be placed under the IAEA safeguards regime. Damascus said the material would remain under its control for civilian and peaceful uses.

The al-Kibar case dates back to September 2007, when Israeli aircraft destroyed the facility. After years of investigation, the IAEA concluded in 2011 that it was “very likely” that the destroyed building had been a nuclear reactor that Syria was required to declare under its safeguards agreement.

Sentinel-2 imagery alone does not reveal the nature of what excavation teams are searching for or whether they are targeting specific remains associated with the former facility. However, it provides visual evidence of clear changes to the site’s surface coinciding with official verification efforts. As excavation continues, satellite imagery offers an independent window into the reopening of a case that had remained unresolved for more than a decade and a half.

Read More

Satellite Images Reveal Likely Site of First International Base Inside Gaza

At the Gate of the Northern Jordan Valley: Misbar Tracks Two Settlement Projects Near Tayasir Checkpoint