U.S. President Donald Trump has said that American forces completed “very successful” airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites.
Trump said a “full payload of” bombs was dropped on the “primary” Iranian nuclear site at Fordo, and additional strikes were conducted at the facilities at Natanz and Esfahan. All American warplanes departed Iranian airspace, he said.
“All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this,” Trump said on social media. “NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Fox News said Trump detailed the strikes to TV host Sean Hannity, saying the U.S. dropped six buster-bunker bombs on the Fordo nuclear facility, and carried out dozens of submarine-based cruise missile attacks on two other sites.
Each of the buster-bunker bombs weighed 15 tons, and were dropped from American B-2 stealth bombers. In all, 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from U.S. submarines at the nuclear facilities at Natanz and Isfahan.
The Fordo nuclear facility is an underground uranium enrichment site near Qom – Iran’s deepest and most fortified nuclear installation designed to withstand conventional airstrikes.
Iran had strongly warned Trump against involvement in the conflict with Israel, saying if the US directly entered the hostilities it would lead to “irreparable consequences.”
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Trump has repeatedly threatened to take military action against Tehran and maintained that the U.S. would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, something Iran has repeatedly denied that it seeks to acquire.
Trump also warned Iran against retaliating to American strikes on key nuclear facilities, saying that it would face unprecedented “tragedy” if it launches counter-attacks.
Trump said the “massive precision strikes” he authorised against the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites “were a spectacular military success,” leaving those facilities “completely and totally obliterated.”
“Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier,” he said in nationally televised remarks.
“This cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill,” he added.
Trump said most of the remaining targets “can be taken out in a matter of minutes.”
According to observers, the attack on the nuclear facilities could lead to a dramatic escalation of tensions between Tehran and Washington, with the possibility of Iran carrying out attacks on U.S. bases in the region or closing the Strait of Hormuz.
And Iranian state television said every American citizen and military personnel in the region is “now a legitimate target,” following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites Sunday,
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the U.S. on Wednesday of getting involved in the conflict that Iran had with Israel. “The harm the U.S. will suffer will definitely be irreparable if they enter this conflict militarily,” he said.
Iran’s state broadcaster political deputy said Iran evacuated materials from three nuclear sites prior to being attacked by the US, the IRNA news agency reported Sunday.
“Part of the Fordo nuclear site area was subjected to an aerial attack by enemy forces,” IRNA reported, citing the Qom provincial governor’s office.
Manan Raisi, who represents the Qom area where Fordo is located, said the attack on the underground nuclear site was “superficial.”
“Based on accurate information, I state that contrary to the claims of the lying U.S. president, the Fordo nuclear facility has not been seriously damaged and most of what was damaged was only on the ground, which can be restored,” Raisi said, according to Tasnim news agency.
He also echoed earlier assessments that there have been no detected leakage of radioactive material after the U.S. strikes.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said In a statement that the three sites came under a “brutal assault,” that “violates international law,” particularly the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), of which Iran is a signatory.
The agency said the “unlawful action” was carried out because of the “indifference” or “complicity” of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Iran registered a complaint on Sunday against Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear agency, accusing him of “indecision” on Israeli attacks on nuclear sites in the past week.
It urged the international community to condemn the “lawlessness based on jungle rules” and to stand with Iran in asserting its legitimate rights.
The agency said it has put on its agenda “all necessary actions to defend the rights of the noble Iranian people, including legal follow-up measures.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday for striking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Netanyahu, in a video message, called Trump’s decision “courageous” and said, “First comes power, then peace.”
“Congratulations, President Trump. Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history,” he said. “History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime, the world’s most dangerous weapons.”
Trump held a call with Netanyahu following the attack, according to Israeli Channel 14.
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But UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced concern after the U.S. carried out strikes against Iran, warning about a “dangerous escalation” in the region.
“I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today. This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security,” Guterres wrote on X.
Calling on member states to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law, Guterres said: “There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.”
He noted that there is no military solution and that the only path forward is diplomacy.
“The only hope is peace,” he added.
