In a pivotal escalation of tensions in the Middle East, President Donald Trump announced that the United States has successfully conducted a bombing attack on three significant nuclear sites in Iran. The President declared that these sites have been “obliterated,” marking a dramatic shift in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.
On Sunday, the Pentagon indicated that while it will require time to conduct a thorough assessment of the strikes, preliminary reports suggest extensive damage to all targeted facilities. Israeli officials confirmed their full coordination with the US in planning this military operation, underscoring the strategic partnership between the two nations.
According to US General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the operation, dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, mobilized 125 US military aircraft, including seven B-2 stealth bombers. The three Iranian facilities targeted were Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. During a Pentagon briefing, General Caine described how the bombers embarked on an 18-hour flight from the US, with some aircraft creating a diversion in the Pacific while the main strike group proceeded toward Iran.
Before entering Iranian airspace, over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from a US submarine, targeting the Isfahan site. As the bombers approached, the US implemented various deception tactics, including the use of decoys and fighter jets to secure the airspace from potential threats. The lead B-2 bomber deployed two GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) on the Fordo nuclear site, with a total of 14 MOPs dropped across two key areas. The strikes occurred between 18:40 Eastern time (23:40 BST) and 19:05 Eastern time (00:05 BST), after which the bombers exited Iranian airspace without encountering any response from Iranian fighter jets or surface-to-air missile systems.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that the operation was not aimed at Iranian troops or the population, clarifying that it was not a mission for regime change. He acknowledged Israeli allies for their support and noted that the planning for these operations spanned several months.
Fordo, situated south of Tehran, is a crucial uranium enrichment facility and is believed to be buried deeper underground than the Channel Tunnel connecting the UK and France. This depth necessitated the use of the MOP, a bomb weighing 13,000 kg (30,000 lb) capable of penetrating up to 18 meters (60 feet) of concrete before detonating. Although its effectiveness is uncertain given the depth of the Fordo tunnels, it remains the only bomb capable of reaching the targeted infrastructure.
General Caine confirmed that the 14 MOP bombs were part of a total of 75 precision-guided munitions employed during the strikes on Iran.
While General Caine noted that a complete damage assessment would take time, he indicated that initial evaluations showed all three sites suffered severe damage. Recent satellite imagery from June 22 revealed six new craters at the Fordo site, likely resulting from the strikes, along with debris scattered across the mountainside.
Senior imagery analyst Stu Ray from McKenzie Intelligence Services explained that the MOPs are designed to detonate deep within the facility, which would not produce a significant blast effect at the entry point. He observed that the grey color of the ground likely indicates concrete debris expelled by the explosions, with evidence suggesting that tunnel entrances may have been deliberately blocked by Iranian forces to mitigate damage.
The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization condemned the strikes as a “barbaric violation of international law.” Both the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Saudi Arabia reported no increase in radiation levels post-attack. Iranian officials have claimed that the sites were previously evacuated, stating that the attack did not cause significant harm as materials had already been removed.
In response to the US bombing, Iran launched missiles targeting parts of Tel Aviv and Haifa, resulting in injuries to at least 86 individuals. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian asserted that the US must face consequences for its actions, emphasizing Iran's readiness for negotiations under international law.
According to security correspondent Frank Gardner, Iran faces three strategic options for retaliation: doing nothing to potentially avoid further US strikes, launching immediate military responses utilizing its substantial ballistic missile stockpile, or waiting for a more opportune moment to retaliate when US forces are less vigilant.
Following the airstrikes, President Trump confirmed the operations targeting the Iranian facilities through a social media post. During a televised address, he warned that future attacks would be more severe unless Iran pursued diplomatic solutions. Many Republican lawmakers supported the military action, while some, like Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, expressed opposition, arguing that it was not the US's fight. Others, like Congressman Thomas Massie, criticized the strikes as unconstitutional, igniting a heated exchange with Trump on social media.
Legal experts highlight the constitutional debate surrounding the President's authority to initiate military actions without Congressional approval, noting that while Article I grants Congress the power to declare war, Article II designates the President as Commander in Chief with authority to defend the nation.
World leaders, including those from the UK, France, and Germany, urged Iran to refrain from actions that could further destabilize the region. In a joint statement, the leaders affirmed their position against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and expressed solidarity with Israel. UN Secretary General António Guterres characterized the US airstrikes as a dangerous escalation, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called for all parties to return to the negotiating table.
Concerns were voiced by Saudi Arabia, and Oman condemned the strikes, advocating for de-escalation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for dialogue, and Russian politician Dmitry Medvedev criticized Trump, suggesting that the President's actions have initiated a new war for the US.
The recent escalation can be traced back to Israel's surprise attack on numerous Iranian military and nuclear targets on June 13, aiming to dismantle Iran's nuclear program. Iran, asserting that its nuclear ambitions are peaceful, retaliated with a barrage of rockets and drones aimed at Israel. This back-and-forth has led to an ongoing air conflict that has persisted for over a week, further complicating the fragile geopolitical landscape in the region.
President Trump has long opposed Iran's nuclear capabilities, and while there were ongoing nuclear negotiations at the time of the Israeli attack, he had recently issued a two-week ultimatum for Iran to engage in substantial discussions before considering military action.
