---
aliases:
- Dino Brugioni
- Dino A. Brugioni
born: 1921-12-16
category: Intelligence & Government
created: 2026-05-17
died: 2015-09-25
location: Bevier, Missouri
summary: Dino A. Brugioni (1921-2015) was a CIA photo intelligence officer who analyzed
  U-2 reconnaissance imagery and identified early evidence of the Israeli nuclear
  reactor at Dimona in the late 1950s, noting that senior officials chose to look
  the other way.
tags:
- Person
- CIA
- PhotoIntelligence
- Israel
- ColdWar
- NuclearWeapons
title: Dino A. Brugioni
updated: 2026-05-18
---

Dino A. Brugioni was a World War II veteran who served as an aerial photographer and later joined the [CIA](/organizations/central-intelligence-agency/) in 1948. He was enticed by [Arthur C. Lundahl](/people/arthur-c-lundahl/) to join his staff in the Photographic Intelligence Division, where he played a key role in analyzing reconnaissance photos, particularly from the [U-2 Spy Plane](/concepts/u-2-spy-plane/).[^1]

Brugioni recalled seeing the first signs of what would become the Israeli nuclear reactor at [Dimona](/places/dimona/). He and other photo interpreters observed the fencing off of a large, barren area, the construction of a new road, and significant subterranean digging and concrete pouring. They immediately suspected something unusual was happening, given the scale of the construction in the middle of the desert.[^1]

Despite his fascination with the construction at [Dimona](/places/dimona/), Brugioni noted that the White House never encouraged further briefings on the matter. He prepared presidential briefing materials for Lundahl and knew the intelligence on [Israel](/places/israel/) was reaching the top, but he never understood whether the White House wanted [Israel](/places/israel/) to have the bomb or not.[^1]

By the end of 1959, Brugioni and Lundahl had no doubt that [Israel](/places/israel/) was pursuing nuclear weapons, and that President [Dwight D. Eisenhower](/people/dwight-d-eisenhower/) and his advisers were determined to look the other way. Brugioni and his colleagues chose not to raise questions about [Dimona](/places/dimona/), understanding that the hierarchy had decided to "play it cool."[^1]

[^1]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 4.