In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump announced late Saturday that the United States had conducted airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, claiming the sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were “completely and totally obliterated.”
The strikes, marking the first direct U.S. military action against Iran, have intensified the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, drawing sharp reactions from Tehran and the international community.
In a televised address from the White House, flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump described the operation as a “spectacular military success” aimed at destroying Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity.
“Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,” he said, warning that any retaliation would be met with “force far greater than what was witnessed tonight.”
Trump also praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating they had “worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before” to address the “horrible threat to Israel.”
The U.S. military deployed B-2 stealth bombers, which dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on the heavily fortified Fordow facility, buried deep underground, and U.S. Navy submarines launched over 30 Tomahawk missiles targeting Natanz and Isfahan, according to U.S. defense officials.
Trump’s claim that the facilities were obliterated could not be independently verified, and Iranian officials downplayed the damage.
Iran’s Response: Defiance And Threats of Retaliation
Iranian authorities condemned the strikes as a “barbaric violation” of international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi called the attacks “outrageous” and warned of “everlasting consequences,” asserting that Iran “reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”
The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization confirmed the strikes but insisted they would not halt Tehran’s nuclear programme, claiming the facilities had been evacuated beforehand.
State media outlet IRNA reported that the Fordow site, located near Qom, sustained only minor surface damage, with no risk to public health. A senior adviser to Iran’s parliament, Mehdi Mohammadi, echoed this, stating the damage at Fordow was “not irreversible.”
However, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, currently in a secure location, has yet to issue a public statement, leaving uncertainty about Tehran’s next move.
Hossein Shariatmadari, a hardline commentator and representative of Khamenei, called for immediate retaliation, proposing missile strikes on U.S. naval forces in Bahrain and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route.
Hours after the U.S. strikes, Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel, wounding at least 20 people, prompting Israeli counterstrikes on Iranian military targets.
International Reactions: Condemnation And Concern
The strikes drew widespread condemnation and heightened fears of a broader regional conflict. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres branded the U.S. action a “dangerous escalation” and a “direct threat to international peace and security,” warning of “catastrophic consequences” for the region.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which reported no increase in radiation levels at the targeted sites, convened an emergency meeting of its board of governors to address the crisis.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the U.S. strikes as a historic blow against Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “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 in a video statement.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid also supported the action, calling it “the right and correct thing” for global security, though he urged Israel to conclude its war with Iran.
Iran’s regional allies vowed retaliation. The Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen condemned the strikes and threatened to resume attacks on U.S. warships in the Red Sea, with official Hizam al-Assad stating, “Trump must bear the consequences.”
Iraq’s Kata’ib Hezbollah militia warned that U.S. bases in the region would become “duck-hunting grounds.”
Saudi Arabia’s Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority reported no radioactive effects in Gulf states, a finding corroborated by the IAEA. However, the prospect of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz raised fears of disruptions to global oil markets.
U.S. Domestic Divide
The strikes sparked sharp divisions in the U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticised Trump’s decision, arguing it risked “entanglement in a potentially disastrous war” without congressional authorisation.
Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie planned to introduce a resolution requiring congressional approval for further military action against Iran.
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders called the strikes “grossly unconstitutional.”
Conversely, Republican hawks like Senators Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz praised Trump’s decisiveness. Graham called it “the right call,” while Cruz labelled Iran’s nuclear ambitions “the most acute immediate threat” to the U.S. and its allies.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, while not explicitly endorsing the strikes, urged prayers for U.S. troops and peace.
Uncertain Path Ahead
The U.S. strikes follow more than a week of Israeli attacks on Iran’s air defences and missile capabilities, which analysts say created an opportunity for the U.S. to target fortified nuclear sites.
Trump’s decision came despite earlier efforts to pursue diplomacy, including a failed attempt to arrange talks with Iran through Turkish mediation.
Analysts warn that Iran’s response will shape the conflict’s trajectory. “It all depends on what Khamenei decides to do now — back down or fight,” said Jon Hoffman of the Cato Institute.
Closing the Strait of Hormuz or attacking U.S. bases could escalate the conflict, while a restrained response might open a diplomatic window, though Iran’s leadership faces domestic pressure to project strength.
As the Middle East braces for Iran’s next move, the U.S. has surged military assets to the region, including additional fighter squadrons and aircraft carriers, signalling readiness for further escalation. The world watches anxiously as the risk of a wider war looms.
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