19/06/2025
Israel is widely believed to possess approximately 90 nuclear warheads, making it the only nuclear-armed country in the Middle East, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimates from 2023. Israel has maintained a policy of "nuclear opacity", neither confirming nor denying the possession of nuclear weapons. Its nuclear program is centered at the Negev Nuclear Research Center near Dimona, operational since the 1950s with French assistance. The Israeli government has never signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which legally allows it to avoid international inspections and obligations. By contrast, countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey are all signatories to the NPT and have no confirmed nuclear weapons. This imbalance has raised long-standing concerns about a regional arms race and questions of double standards in global non-proliferation policies.
Despite Israel's ongoing military engagements — including operations in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank — and its long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories, it faces no significant international pressure to disarm or even declare its nuclear arsenal. This contrasts sharply with the treatment of other Middle Eastern countries, notably Iran, which has been under intense global scrutiny and sanctions over its civilian nuclear energy program. Analysts and critics argue that this asymmetry is partly due to Israel’s strategic alliance with the United States and Western powers, who see Israel’s nuclear deterrent as vital to regional stability. However, this stance complicates calls for a nuclear-free Middle East, a goal officially endorsed by the United Nations and the Arab League, and underscores the political selectivity that often defines global disarmament efforts.
Image via Yeni Şafak
