Fact Check: Is the US testing nuclear bombs amid the ongoing Iran war?

RACHEL, NEVADA: Several mysterious earthquakes near the US military’s base close to Area 51 sparked online speculations about whether the United States is conducting nuclear tests amid the ongoing war with Iran.

This happened after the region experienced over 100 seismic events in the last week amid military escalation in the Middle East. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.

Claim: US is testing nuclear bombs amid US-Iran war

Several social media posts claimed the US might be testing nuclear bombs in Nevada amid the ongoing war with Iran. An X post mentioned, "US nuclear weapons testing facilities rattled by more than 130 mysterious earthquakes in Nevada."

Similarly, another X post mentioned, "100 'Mysterious Earthquakes' Detected Near US Nuclear Testing Site."

Meanwhile, an X post also stated, "A series of mysterious earthquakes occurred at the US nuclear base in Nevada. Is the U.S. government keeping new weapons tests secret after withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?"

"Recently, earthquakes were reported in Nevada, USA, near a top-secret military testing area. At the same time, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake was recorded close to military and nuclear-related sites in Iran. Guys, do you think this is it?" mentioned another X user.

In recent days, the area has experienced multiple tremors, from small to slightly significant ones, as per the US Geological Survey. The mysterious earthquakes started on Sunday, March 1, at Area 52, about three hours northeast of Las Vegas and close to Area 51.

Interestingly, the region has been believed to be a site where the US military carries out experimental aircraft testing and nuclear weapons research.

Fact Check: False, no credible evidence to back the claim

The claims made in the online posts are false, as there is no credible evidence to prove that the US is testing nuclear bombs. No official confirmation or cause of the earthquakes was provided by the US authorities.

Interestingly, the US has not conducted a live nuclear explosive test since 1992, when it observed a moratorium under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) framework. 

Moreover, Seismic activity in Nevada is common due to natural tectonic activity, and routine non-nuclear testing such as conventional explosives, subcritical experiments for stockpile stewardship, or simulations at facilities like the Nevada National Security Site.

Several reliable sources have reported extensively on the Iran war, nuclear rhetoric, and related escalations, but none mention US nuclear testing.