WASHINGTON DC: President Donald Trump said that U.S. forces had carried out airstrikes on Iran’s three main nuclear facilities, warning Tehran of further attacks unless it chooses a path toward peace.
The move comes after several days of deliberation and ahead of Trump’s previously set two-week deadline. By aligning with Israel in its military action against Iran, the U.S. has significantly escalated tensions in the region, raising fears of a new phase of instability in the Middle East, according to Reuters.
In a brief televised statement, Trump hailed the operation as a major success, saying Iran’s core nuclear enrichment centers had been “completely and totally obliterated.” He said Iran must now choose between “peace or tragedy,” and cautioned that additional military targets remain on the U.S. radar if Tehran fails to cooperate.
“If peace doesn’t come soon, we’ll strike other targets with precision, speed, and skill,” Trump warned.
According to CBS News, U.S. officials reached out to Iran diplomatically on Saturday, assuring that the recent strikes were the extent of planned military action and that Washington is not seeking regime change.
Trump specified that the targeted nuclear sites were Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. On Fox News, he stated that six bunker-buster bombs were used on the deeply buried Fordow facility, while 30 Tomahawk missiles hit the other two locations.
A U.S. official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, confirmed that B-2 stealth bombers took part in the mission. Trump also posted on Truth Social, declaring, “A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. Fordow is gone.”
Earlier reports by Reuters had tracked the movement of B-2 bombers, which are capable of carrying the kind of powerful weaponry required to damage highly fortified sites like Fordow, located beneath a mountain near Tehran. Due to the site’s heavily protected structure, it may take several days to assess the full extent of the damage.
(Inputs from Reuters)
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