The United States has officially entered the Iran-Israel conflict, launching a massive overnight air and submarine strike on three Iranian nuclear sites. With bunker-buster bombs and cruise missiles, President Trump declares Iran’s nuclear threat “obliterated”—and warns more could come. The Middle East braces for what’s next.
In a dramatic shift, the United States has now joined Israel’s ongoing conflict with Iran by launching large-scale attacks on three of Iran’s key nuclear sites early Sunday morning. The coordinated strike, involving both B-2 stealth bombers and Navy submarines, marked the first direct U.S. military action in the growing war, raising fears of a wider escalation across the volatile Middle East.
President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes in a televised address from the White House, stating, “The objective of this mission was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and the elimination of the threat posed by the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror.” He claimed the mission was a success, declaring that the nuclear facilities had been “completely and totally obliterated.”
The targets included Iran’s two most fortified uranium enrichment centers: the underground Fordo facility and the larger Natanz plant, previously hit by Israeli forces. A third site near the historic city of Isfahan, believed to hold near-weapons-grade uranium, was also struck. While Iranian officials admitted the sites had been attacked, they did not immediately disclose the extent of the damage.
Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran: “Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.”
There was no immediate response from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is currently in Europe. Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the strike, calling it a “dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge — and a direct threat to international peace and security.”
The strike, conducted in full coordination with Israel, saw six U.S. B-2 bombers dropping a dozen 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on the Fordo facility. U.S. Navy submarines launched 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles targeting Natanz and Isfahan. One B-2 also dropped additional bunker busters on Natanz. These were the only munitions capable of penetrating the deeply buried facilities — a capability unique to the U.S. military.
Reaction in Washington was immediate. While Republican leaders praised the action as a necessary blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Democrats and some Republicans voiced concern over the legality of the move, warning it could pull the U.S. into a broader war without congressional approval.
Iran has long warned that U.S. military involvement in the conflict would provoke retaliation. Possible consequences include strikes on American assets in the region or a resurgence of Iran’s nuclear program — assuming it remains intact after the attack.
The decision follows a week of mixed messages from President Trump, who appeared hesitant to escalate before ultimately greenlighting the operation. Only the U.S. possesses the aircraft and firepower to strike Iran’s most protected nuclear infrastructure. Now that the first move has been made, the Middle East braces for the next phase — one that could prove even more explosive.
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