US Bombs 3 Nuclear Sites in Iran
The US has bombed three nuclear sites in Iran in the early hours of Sunday, June 22.
The US intervention followed weeks of tit-for-tat strikes between Iran and US ally Israel, which Israel said was prompted by Iran’s advancing nuclear program.
US President Donald Trump, on his Truth Social platform, declared on Sunday morning a “very successful attack” on Iran’s nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan and said the US jets that conducted the bombing were returning to US bases.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space [sic]. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home,” Trump wrote.
Trump claimed the move to strike Iran marks Washington’s push for peace in the region.
Unnamed US officials told Reuters that B-2 stealth bombers were used in the mission, though it is unclear if the planes – some of the world’s most advanced stealth bombers – were launched from US soil or overseas bases for the mission at the time of publication.
According to The New York Times, the US used the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb in combat for the first time during the mission.
Trump subsequently elaborated on the attack via a press conference shortly after.
“I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” Trump said as he was joined by Vice President JD Vance, State Secretary Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth by his side.
Trump then said Iran must “make peace” or face further attacks.
Iran threatened retaliation.
“Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people… The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior,” Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on social media.
Russia, a key ally of Iran that signed a partnership treaty with Tehran earlier this year, has yet to comment on the strike officially.
Moscow previously warned Washington against military intervention in Iran but stopped short of vowing direct support for Iran should it come under attack.
Following the attack, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Israel and Iran should both give up their nuclear arsenals, Russian state media TASS reported, citing Medvedev’s social media page.
The US’s Sunday strikes on Iran came despite Washington’s recent statements on Thursday that military intervention would be considered “within the next two weeks.”
Source: Leo Chiu