A nuclear facility in southern Israel is undergoing a major expansion, The Associated Press, which analyzed satellite photos, reported.
The construction next to the nuclear reactor at the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center near the city of Dimona is the “biggest construction project in decades,” according to the AP report released on Thursday. It is not known what the construction, which is the area of a soccer field and several stories deep, is for, according to the report.
The satellite images were taken on Monday by Planet Labs Inc. at the request of the AP
The Israeli government did not answer detailed questions from the AP. Israel neither confirms nor denies having nuclear weapons.
Foreign reports have said that underground labratories reprocesses the spent rods from the Dimona plant to obtain weapons-grade plutonium for and Israeli nuclear bomb program. Analysts estimate Israel has material for at least 80 bombs, the AP reported.