US bombs Iranian nuclear sites, sparking fears of wider conflict

US President Trump announced that American aircraft bombed Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, and that Israel participated in the air campaign against the Islamic republic.

The decision to attack Iran is seen as a potential turning point for Trump’s presidency, which began its second term with promises to be a peace envoy who would end “endless wars.”

The attack raises the possibility of Iranian retaliation against the US, particularly targeting military bases and ships in the region, as well as other interests like oil supplies. Trump stated that if Iran’s retaliatory strikes target the US, he will respond again.

This attack represents a political gamble for the president at a time when his MAGA (Make America Great Again) base is fiercely divided between hawks who want the US to go to war with Iran and those who believe the US should stay out of foreign conflicts.

After holding a national security meeting at the White House on Saturday evening, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “We have just completed our very successful attack on three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. All aircraft are now out of Iranian airspace.”

“Fordo, the main target, was hit with full-load bombs. All planes are returning home safely,” he said.

The US president claimed that the attack, carried out by American aircraft and submarines, resulted in the “complete destruction” of Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities.

According to state media, Iranian officials confirmed the attack on the three nuclear sites.

Stating that they worked as a team with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the attack on Iran, Trump said, “Iran must make peace. If this is not done, the next attacks will be much heavier.”

“Our goal was to destroy Iran’s nuclear enrichment capability and stop the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror,” Trump said, describing the overnight attacks as a “magnificent success.”

According to a senior White House official, the US president and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke after the attacks. The official added that the US had informed Israel in advance of its plan to bomb the nuclear facilities.

“Facility had been evacuated”

An adviser to the speaker of the Iranian parliament said that Tehran had been expecting an attack on Fordo.

“From Iran’s point of view, nothing too strange happened,” Mahdi Mohammadi wrote on X.

“Iran had been expecting an attack on Fordo for several nights. The facility had been evacuated for some time and did not suffer irreversible damage from the attack.”

It was reported that there was no nuclear leak at the Fordo facility, one of Iran’s most critical nuclear sites, following the US attack.

An official from the governor’s office in Qom province, where the Fordo uranium enrichment facility is located, made a statement to Anadolu Agency.

The official said, “The Fordo nuclear facility was attacked by the United States and this facility was damaged, but there is no nuclear leak in or around it.”

Meanwhile, Iranian state television, without confirming the attack reports, had announced that the facilities were evacuated beforehand and the nuclear materials were moved to another location.

Washington contacts Tehran

In a second post on Truth Social, Trump said, “IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD.”

It was claimed that after hitting the three nuclear facilities in Iran, the US contacted Tehran to convey that its goal was not regime change.

According to a report by CBS News, citing US sources, the Washington administration sent a diplomatic message to Tehran after striking the three nuclear facilities, emphasizing that the attacks were carried out entirely by them and that they had no intention of seeking regime change.

CBS News had previously reported, based on information from multiple sources within the US administration, that President Trump had opposed a plan to assassinate Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Netanyahu expresses thanks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked US President Trump for announcing the attack on Iran’s three nuclear facilities.

Prime Minister Netanyahu posted a video message on his X account, thanking President Trump for his decision to strike Iran’s nuclear sites.

“Congratulations, President Trump. Your courageous decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the magnificent and righteous power of the US will change history,” Netanyahu said.

Claiming that Israel was doing “amazing things” with its attacks on Iran, Netanyahu argued that the US had truly achieved a “unique success” with the attack it carried out tonight.

Arguing that the US attack on Iran was a “historic turning point” that would bring peace to the Middle East, Netanyahu asserted, “President Trump and I often say peace through strength. First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, President Trump and the US acted with great strength.”

What were they hit with?

It was claimed that the US struck Fordo, the most important of Iran’s three nuclear facilities, using six bunker-buster munitions, while the other two facilities were destroyed by 30 Tomahawk missiles launched from American submarines in the region.

Fox News host Sean Hannity said on his live program that he had just spoken with US President Donald Trump by phone, and Trump told him that 30 Tomahawk missiles were also launched from American submarines approximately 645 kilometers away in the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Hannity recalled that it had previously been suggested that at least two GBU-57 A/B “Massive Ordnance Penetrator” bunker-buster munitions would be needed for Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility, but he learned in his conversation with the US president that six bunker-busters were used.

“The other two major Iranian nuclear facilities, Natanz and Isfahan, were destroyed by 30 Tomahawk missiles launched by American submarines about 645 kilometers away,” Hannity added.

B-2s also participated

The US had previously moved B-2 stealth bombers, which were believed to be en route to a base in Guam. The American “bunker buster” bombs carried by the B-2s were seen as the most suitable weapon to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, which is buried deep inside a mountain.

According to information obtained by the American news site Axios from an Israeli official, B-2 heavy bombers were also used in the attack.

“Unconstitutional”

Republican foreign policy hawks in Congress applauded the president’s military move. US Senator Lindsey Graham said, “This was the right decision. The regime deserves it.” Senator Jim Risch, the powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, applauded Trump’s “decisive action” to help Israel, saying, “This is not the beginning of an endless war. There will be no American troops on Iranian soil.”

Democratic US Senator John Fetterman also praised Trump, saying the president made the “right move.”

However, Republican Representative Thomas Massie said the decision was “unconstitutional.”

Atomic Energy Organization of Iran: We will not stop

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) condemned the US attack.

The organization stated that the three nuclear facilities were operating under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and that the “barbaric attack” on these facilities violated international law.

The AEOI said the attack was carried out “under the indifference, or even complicity, of the International Atomic Energy Agency.”

“The international community is expected to condemn this lawlessness based on the law of the jungle and to stand by Iran in defending its legitimate rights,” the statement said, guaranteeing the “great Iranian nation that the progress of this national industry will not be allowed to be stopped despite the treacherous conspiracies of the enemies.”

“The organization has placed on its agenda all necessary measures, including legal follow-up measures, to defend the rights of the noble Iranian people,” it added.

Iran launches retaliation: Missiles toward Israel

On Sunday morning, the Israeli army announced Iranian retaliatory attacks. It stated that it had detected about 20 missiles fired from Iran toward the central and northern regions of Israel.

Loud explosion sounds were heard throughout Israel, and Israel’s emergency service, Magen David Adom (MDA), was dispatched to several areas where impacts were reported.

There were reports of impacts in the northern and central regions of Israel, with 10 missiles reportedly hitting their targets.

The army added that defense systems were activated to intercept the threats.

In the event of a warning, the public was instructed to enter a protected area and remain there until further notice.

Iranian retaliatory attacks are expected to continue in the coming hours.

June 13

On June 13, Israel launched wide-ranging attacks targeting nuclear facilities in various Iranian cities, as well as the army’s high command.

Iran’s Chief of General Staff, the Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Guards, some senior commanders, and nine nuclear scientists were killed in the attacks.

In a statement on June 21, the Iranian Ministry of Health reported that the total civilian death toll from the Israeli attacks was 430, with more than 3,500 injured.

Iran launched retaliatory attacks. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office reported that 24 people were killed and 1,272 were injured in the retaliations carried out by the Iranian army.

Many countries, including Türkiye, China, Russia, and Pakistan, condemned Israel.