The Trump administration has brokered a secret understanding with Israel and Syria under which the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to remove nuclear material stored at a previously undisclosed Syrian site, according to U.S. and Israeli officials cited by Axios.
The arrangement follows months of diplomatic exchanges and security concerns over the material, which Israeli officials believe is connected to the nuclear reactor project that Syria developed under the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad.
The material is reportedly stored at a facility referred to as "Site 99."
According to the officials cited by Axios, the material cannot be used to produce a nuclear weapon but could potentially be used to construct a conventional explosive capable of dispersing radioactive material.
IAEA and Syria reach agreement on removal
The reported agreement was reached roughly three weeks ago between the IAEA and the Syrian government, following U.S. intervention.
According to the report, Washington approached Syrian officials about the material, only to be told by some senior Syrian officials that they had not been aware it was being stored at the location.
The United States subsequently informed the IAEA and urged Israel not to take unilateral military action while diplomatic efforts were underway.
The nuclear material has not yet been removed from the site, according to U.S. officials cited by Axios. One American source said, however, that all parties were satisfied with the emerging arrangement and expressed hope that the removal operation could begin soon and be completed before the end of the year.
The White House, the IAEA and the Israeli Prime Minister's Office declined to comment, according to Axios.
Israeli concerns over possible access to material
The issue reportedly escalated after Israeli officials detected movements around the site several weeks ago that raised concerns that Syria might be reconsidering previous understandings and seeking access to the nuclear material.
Israeli officials also reportedly feared that Turkey could assist Syria in gaining access to the material.
Those concerns prompted Washington to ask Israel to refrain from military action while the diplomatic track was pursued.
According to two Israeli sources cited by Axios, Israel had warned that it could strike the site if the material was not removed or if Syria appeared to be attempting to make use of it.
A U.S. source, however, disputed the characterization that Israel had been close to launching an attack, saying such a strike had never been imminent.
The legacy of Syria's secret nuclear program
The material is reportedly associated with Syria's former nuclear program and the reactor constructed at al-Kibar, in eastern Syria.
Israel destroyed the al-Kibar reactor in a 2007 airstrike after concluding that the facility was part of a clandestine nuclear weapons program.
The IAEA subsequently investigated the site and concluded that Syria had failed to declare nuclear activities and material as required under its safeguards obligations.
The current dispute illustrates the long-term security consequences of the Assad regime's nuclear activities, with remnants of the program apparently still requiring international monitoring and removal nearly two decades after the reactor was destroyed.
A new diplomatic channel between Israel and Syria
The reported nuclear arrangement comes as Washington seeks to promote a broader security understanding between Israel and Syria.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said last month that Damascus was working toward a security agreement with Israel that could potentially pave the way for peace between the two countries.
Al-Sharaa has nevertheless emphasized that Syria would not surrender its claim to sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967 and later annexed in a move not recognized internationally.
The Syrian president has also expressed concern about a broader regional escalation, arguing that Damascus has no interest in entering another conflict with Israel.
Israeli military activity continues in southern Syria
The diplomatic efforts are taking place against a backdrop of continuing Israeli military activity in southern Syria.
Local sources cited by Israeli media have reported repeated Israeli incursions, temporary checkpoints, searches in villages and agricultural areas, and the establishment of observation positions on strategic ridgelines in the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra, near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.
Israel has said that its military operations are intended to prevent security threats and keep hostile elements away from its border.
The Israel Defense Forces also announced recently that Israeli troops had killed several armed individuals in a security area in southern Syria.
The continued military activity highlights the fragility of the emerging diplomatic channel. While Washington appears to be seeking mechanisms for reducing the risk of escalation, Israel continues to maintain a significant security presence on the Syrian side of the border.
Washington seeks to prevent another escalation
The reported nuclear-material agreement illustrates the broader role the Trump administration is attempting to play between Israel and the new Syrian government.
For Washington, removing potentially hazardous nuclear material without a military confrontation could serve several objectives: preventing radioactive material from falling into unauthorized hands, reducing the possibility of an Israeli strike, strengthening the IAEA's role and creating confidence between Israel and Syria.
For Israel, the removal of the material would eliminate a potential security concern close to its territory without requiring a unilateral military operation.
For Damascus, cooperation with the IAEA could provide an opportunity to demonstrate that the post-Assad government is willing to address the legacy of Syria's clandestine nuclear program and engage with international institutions.
A test for the emerging Israel-Syria relationship
The successful removal of the material could become an important test of whether the emerging U.S.-backed dialogue between Israel and Syria can produce concrete security arrangements.
For now, however, the agreement remains largely behind the scenes. The material is reportedly still at the site, the parties have not publicly confirmed the arrangement, and Israeli military activity in southern Syria continues.
If the IAEA operation proceeds as planned, the removal of the material could eliminate one of the most sensitive remnants of Syria's former nuclear program—and potentially provide Washington with an early diplomatic success in its effort to prevent renewed confrontation between Israel and Syria.
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