US President Donald Trump announced that American forces carried out direct strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran, joining Israel's ongoing military campaign against the Islamic Republic. The development marks the first US military attack on Iranian soil since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Speaking from the Oval Office in a televised address on Sunday, Donald Trump confirmed that American bombers successfully targeted Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan, three of Iran’s key nuclear enrichment sites.
“Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. The strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump said.
Declaring Iran the “bully of the Middle East,” the US President warned Tehran of further consequences if it refuses to seek peace. “There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,” he said.
“If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes,” added the US President.
The US action comes days after he had stated he would take up to two weeks to decide on entering the conflict. However, in a sudden reversal, he took to his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday to confirm the strike.
“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home,” he wrote, adding, “Congratulations to our great American Warriors. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!”
The US President added that Iran must now agree to end this war. “This is a HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR," he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swiftly responded to the US action, lauding Mr Trump for what he described as a decisive and transformative moment in global security.
“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,” Netanyahu said in a video address.
Netanyahu added that America did what no other country on earth could do. “In Operation Rising Lion, Israel has done truly amazing things, but in tonight’s action against Iran’s nuclear facilities, America has been unsurpassed. It has done what no other country on Earth could do," he added.
“President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons,” he said, calling the move a “pivot of history” that could usher in peace and prosperity across the Middle East.
According to Reuters, the United States deployed B-2 stealth bombers to carry out the strikes. These bombers are capable of delivering the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a weapon designed to destroy deeply buried underground targets, making them ideal for neutralising nuclear facilities such as Fordow.
Reuters had earlier reported on Saturday that the US had begun moving B-2 bombers to Guam, a strategic island in the Pacific, in anticipation of possible operations.
The Israel-Iran conflict erupted when the Israeli military launched Operation Rising Lion last Friday, targeting Iranian nuclear and military installations, as well as top generals and scientists. Israel claimed the offensive was triggered by intelligence suggesting Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon.
A Washington-based Iranian human rights group reported that over 600 people have been killed in Iran so far. In retaliation, Iran has launched approximately 450 missiles and 1,000 drones, killing at least 24 people, Israeli authorities said.
