US has struck 3 Iranian nuclear sites, Trump says, joining Israeli air campaign

By Aamer Madhani

Washington (AP) – President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the American military hit three areas in Iran and have become a member instantly Israel The try to find the nation’s nuclear program in a dangerous gamble to weaken an previous enemy within the midst of Tehran’s menace of reprisals that may trigger a broader regional battle.

There was no speedy recognition from Iran of strikes that had been carried out.

The choice to contain the US instantly comes after greater than every week of Israel’s strikes on Iran who’ve moved to systematically eradicate the air defenses of the nation and the attacking rocket choices, whereas the nuclear enrichment amenities are broken. However the American and Israeli officers have stated that American stealth bombers and a 30,000 kilos (13,500 kilograms) bunker buster bomb that they will solely put on provided the very best probability of destroying closely despised areas linked to the Iranian nuclear program deeply buried underground.

“We now have our very profitable assault on the three nuclear websites in Iran, together with Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan, accomplished,” Trump stated in a put up on social media. “All planes are actually exterior the air area of Iran. A full load of bombs has been dropped on the first web site, Fordow. All planes are safely on the way in which dwelling.”

In a later place, Trump added that he would tackle the Nationwide at 10 p.m. Jap Time and writes: “It is a historic second for america of America, Israel and the world. Iran now has to agree to finish this warfare. Thanks!”

Trump stated that B-2 stealth bombers had been used, however didn’t specify which forms of bombs had been dropped. The White Home and the Pentagon didn’t instantly withdraw the operation.

The strikes are a harmful resolution for the US, as a result of Iran has promised to take revenge if it has joined the Israeli assault, and for Trump personally, after he received the White Home on the promise to maintain America out of treasured international conflicts and to identify with the worth of the American intervention.

Trump informed reporters on Friday that he was not concerned about sending land troops to Iran. He had beforehand indicated that he would make a last alternative over the course of two weeks, a timeline that appeared to arrange because the state of affairs rapidly developed.

The very best chief of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Wednesday that america will lead the Islamic Republic “to” result in irreparable harm for them. ” And spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of International Affairs Esmail Baghaei said: “Each American intervention can be a recipe for a complete warfare within the area.”

Trump has sworn that he wouldn’t permit Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon and he had initially hoped that the specter of violence would carry the leaders of the nation to offer his nuclear program peacefully.

Israel The military stated on Saturday that it was making ready for the potential for an extended warfare, whereas the Iran’s International Minister warned earlier than the American assault that the American army involvement “can be very harmful for everybody.”

The prospect of a broader warfare threatened too. Iranian supported Houthi Rebels In Yemen stated they’d resume assaults on American ships within the Crimson Sea if the Trump authorities joins the army marketing campaign of Israel. The Houthis paused such assaults in Might beneath one Dealing with the US

The American ambassador in Israel introduced that the US had began “Assisted Departure Flights,” The primary from Israel because the assault led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which led the warfare in Gaza.

However Trump appears to have made the calculation – when poking Israeli officers and lots of Republican legislators – that the operation of Israel had the land and had provided an unparalleled alternative to maybe completely restore Iran’s nuclear program.

The Israelis say that their offensive has already paralyzed Iran’s air protection, in order that they will already significantly deteriorate a number of Iranian nuclear areas.

However for the Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment factoryIsrael has attracted Trump for us Bunker-busting bombs, The 30,000 kilos GBU-57 strong ordnance penetrator, which makes use of his weight and pure kinetic energy to realize deep buried objectives after which explode. The penetrator is at present solely equipped by the B-2 Stealth Bomber, which is just discovered within the American Arsenal.

The bomb has a traditional core head and is assumed that it is ready to penetrate about 200 toes (61 meters) beneath the floor earlier than he explodes, and the bombs could be fallen after the opposite, successfully deeper and deeper drilling with each successive explosion.

The Worldwide Atomic Power Company has confirmed that Iran produces a extremely enriched uranium at Fordo, which prompted the chance that nuclear materials could possibly be launched within the space if the GBU-57 a/b was used to hit the ability.

Earlier Israeli strikes on one other Iranian nuclear web site, Natanz, on a centrifuge web site solely prompted contamination on the positioning itself, not within the surrounding space, the IAEA stated.

Trump’s resolution for direct US army intervention comes after his administration had made a failed push of two months, additionally with a excessive degree, direct negotiations with the Iranians-oriented on convincing Tehran to curb his nuclear program.

For months, Trump stated he was devoted to a diplomatic stress to persuade Iran to surrender his nuclear ambitions. And he twice – in April And once more on the finish of Might – the Israeli Prime Minister persuaded Benjamin Netanyahu To maintain army motion in opposition to Iran and to offer diplomacy extra time.

The US has been in current days Changing military planes and warships In and across the heart -east to guard Israel and American bases in opposition to Iranian assaults.

All of the whereas Trump has assumed that the second could be a “second probability” for Iran to shut a deal to offer express threats on Khamei and make requires that of Tehran Unconditional surrender.

“We all know precisely the place the so -called ‘Supreme Chief’ hides,” Trump stated in a placement on social media. “He’s a simple goal, however is protected there – we aren’t going to take it out (kill!), At the least not for now.”

The army confrontation with Iran comes seven years after Trump had withdrawn the US from the Obama administration in 2018 and known as the ‘worst deal ever’.

The Deal 2015, signed by Iran, the US and different world powers, created an in depth nuclear settlement in the long run that restricted the enrichment of Tehran uranium in change for the elimination of financial sanctions.

Trump has the Obama period Deal for Iran too much In change for too little, as a result of the settlement didn’t cowl the non-nuclear malignant habits of Iran.

Trump has obtained criticism from a few of his Maga believers, together with conservative knowledgeable Tucker Carlson, who has advised that additional involvement of the US can be a betrayal for supporters who had been interested in his promise to finish us to finish our involvement in costly and limitless wars.

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Rising reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Related Press Writers Mehmet Guzel in Istanbul; Josef Federman in Jerusalem; Samy Magdy in Cairo; Matthew Lee and Josh Boak in Washington, DC; And Farnoush Amiri and Jon Gambrell in Dubai contributed to this report.

Initially revealed: June 21, 2025 at 8:31 PM Edt