Operation Opera: Israel stopped Saddam Hussein from getting nuclear weapons
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On June 7, 1981, eight Israeli fighter jets launched a strike targeting Iraq’s nuclear reactor. Dubbed Operation Opera, this daring mission marked the first successful raid ever conducted against a nuclear reactor. The mission would set the stage for the Begin Doctrine, Israel’s counter-proliferation policy that allows for preventive strikes against adversaries seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction. Despite immediate international condemnation of Israel following the operation, the destruction of the Osirak reactor prevented Iraq from reaching a nuclear-capable threshold.
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