Potential nuclear risk: Could Israel's Dimona radiation reach Lebanon if targeted?

Report by Petra Abou Haidar, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

As tensions escalate in the region, one question looms large: what happens if Israel's Dimona nuclear facility is targeted, which lies approximately 400 to 600 kilometers from Lebanon?

Situated in the Negev desert, Dimona is widely believed to house a nuclear reactor, though Israel has never officially confirmed its exact nature or capabilities. 

According to international reports, it is classified as a power-generating nuclear reactor. A strike on such a facility could lead to radioactive leakage, potentially spreading beyond Israel's borders depending on wind direction and atmospheric conditions.

Can radiation reach Lebanon in this case?

While there is no way to definitively predict the extent of contamination in the event of a strike, the scale of radiation leakage and prevailing weather patterns would be determining factors. Crucially, Israel remains tight-lipped about the materials and exact functions of the site.

In Lebanon, the body responsible for responding to such emergencies is the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission. Established in 1995 with support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Lebanon's National Council for Scientific Research, the commission is responsible for monitoring radiation levels and implementing emergency measures as necessary.

Should radiation be detected, protocols would involve analyzing air quality and assessing levels of radioactive spread before activating appropriate response plans.

Although public anxiety is understandable, Lebanese experts urge against panic. They caution that fear-mongering—especially through social media ads promoting the so-called "comprehensive nuclear protection fund"—only fuels misinformation.