The UN nuclear watchdog has detected uranium traces in Syria linked to a site destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in 2007, reviving questions about the country’s undeclared nuclear activities.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told member states on Monday that samples collected last year at locations tied to the Deir al-Zor facility showed particles of processed uranium. While the material was not enriched, the report said its chemical makeup pointed to man-made origin.

SYRIA DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN SECRET NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

Syria, now under an Islamist-led government, has denied any secret nuclear programme. Damascus maintains the Deir al-Zor complex was a conventional military base. The Assad government had earlier resisted IAEA inspections, but Syrian officials have recently allowed new site access and pledged “full transparency” in talks with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi.

The IAEA first concluded in 2011 that the destroyed structure was “very likely” a covert reactor. The latest findings stop short of confirmation, but inspectors say further tests and access to records will be needed before the matter can be closed.

Analysts note the issue remains sensitive. Israel has never formally acknowledged its role in the 2007 strike, while Syria continues to deny pursuing nuclear weapons. For the IAEA, the new samples offer the strongest clue in over a decade that its original suspicions may have been correct.

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With inputs from Reuters