This is an assessment that has not yet been verified and is not supported at this stage by official findings from the investigative authorities in the United States.
Israeli officials are examining intelligence from recent days that suggests an Iranian connection to the murder of Prof. Nuno Loureiro, a senior nuclear scientist at MIT, who was shot dead in his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Monday evening.
This is an assessment that has not yet been verified and is not supported at this stage by official findings from the investigative authorities in the United States.
Prof. Loureiro, who had previously spoken out in favor of Israel, was a 47-year-old Portuguese-born world-renowned plasma and nuclear fusion researcher.
After being found wounded in his home, he was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead hours later. Brookline police and the Massachusetts District Attorney’s Office have opened a murder investigation, but so far no suspects have been arrested, and no motive has been released.
Members of the IRGC step on US and Israeli flags during the 46th anniversary of the U.S. expulsion from Iran, in Tehran, November 4, 2025. (credit: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS)
Israel’s investigation into murder of US nuclear scientist
The Israeli investigation is being conducted against the backdrop of Loureiro’s sensitive field of research. He was considered one of the world’s leading researchers in energy and nuclear physics and has served in key roles at research centers related to the development of future technologies.
However, informed sources have emphasized that at this stage, there is no unequivocal determination or evidence linking the murder to a state or intelligence operation.
In the United States, authorities are maintaining ambiguity. According to official statements, all avenues of investigation, criminal and otherwise, are being examined, and evidence is being collected from the shooting scene and the immediate vicinity.
So far, no signs of a break-in have been reported, and investigators are refraining from addressing speculation about a political, ideological, or security motive.
Loureiro’s death shocked the international academic community. MIT’s administration issued a statement of condolence, noting his extraordinary scientific contributions and his status as a “brilliant researcher and dedicated teacher.”
Colleagues and students described a man who was at the forefront of global research and worked to advance advanced energy solutions.
In parallel with the official investigation, various speculations regarding the background to the murder have been circulating on social media and in some media outlets, including claims of political or national affiliation.
Law enforcement officials in the United States and Israel emphasized that, at this stage, there are no findings to substantiate these claims.