A 4.5-magnitude earthquake in Aradan, Iran that rocked the country’s Semnan Province late Saturday night may have been caused by a nuclear test explosion.
JUST IN: ??
?“Earthquake” in Iran fits the profile of a nuclear test explosion. pic.twitter.com/IfkjD2dweN
— Radar? (@RadarHits) October 7, 2024
The epicenter of the earthquake appeared to be located about 100 miles southwest of Tehran, where residents reported feeling the tremor.
“The timing of this event, closely followed by a minor tremor reported in Israel, has led to speculations about its nature, with some suggesting it fits the profile of a nuclear test explosion,” according to the Tekedia business news outlet.
I mean I’m not a seismologist but that graph on the right looks like a test to me. https://t.co/ohSoY4Vhme pic.twitter.com/P0ubXI9iNf
— Armchair Warlord (@ArmchairW) October 6, 2024
“The recent seismic event has not been officially confirmed as a nuclear test explosion, and there is a need for careful analysis and verification by relevant international authorities,” writer Paul Ugbede Godwin cautioned.
Seismic stations, including the US Geological Survey (USGS), detected the event but noted the absence of seismic compression waves, which typically accompany natural earthquakes, thereby raising the question about whether the “earthquake” was an explosion rather than an earthquake.
According to Iranian sources speaking with The Cradle, the possibility that a nuclear test was indeed conducted was “being discussed at high levels in Iran.”
Israel has repeatedly expressed concern about the galloping pace of the Iranian nuclear development program,
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an unscheduled security briefing on Sunday after the government meeting held to mark the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas invasion and massacre, Israeli media reported. A planned meeting between Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was postponed to accommodate the security briefing.
Also on Sunday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces announced in a brief statement that a surgical strike had been carried out in Beirut, but revealed few details.
“The IDF is currently conducting a targeted strike in the area of Dahieh, a key Hezbollah terrorist stronghold. Details to follow,” the IDF said. Dahieh, a suburb in southern Beirut, was home to the headquarters of the Hezbollah Central Council. Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated in Dahieh by Israel in a massive bombing attack late last month.
