President Donald Trump has announced that United States forces struck three Iranian nuclear sites in a “very successful attack”, adding that the heavily fortified Fordow nuclear facility is “gone”.
Trump’s decision on Saturday to join Israel’s military campaign against Iran represents a major escalation of the conflict.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that the military planes were now on their way home.
“NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!” he added.
Later, in a televised Oval Office address that lasted just more than three minutes, Trump said that Iran’s future held “either peace or tragedy”, and that there were many other targets that could be hit by the US military.
“The strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump said. “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.”
The strikes came as Israel and Iran have been engaged in more than a week of aerial combat, with deaths and injuries in both countries.
Israel launched the attacks on Iran, saying that it wanted to remove any chance of Tehran developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.
Diplomatic efforts by Western nations to stop the hostilities have been unsuccessful.
‘Will not stop’
Iran’s nuclear agency on Sunday confirmed that attacks took place on its Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz atomic sites, but insisted that its work would not be stopped.
“The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran assures the great Iranian nation that despite the evil conspiracies of its enemies, with the efforts of thousands of its revolutionary and motivated scientists and experts, it will not allow the development of this national industry, which is the result of the blood of nuclear martyrs, to be stopped,” it said in its statement.
CBS News reported that the US reached out to Iran diplomatically on Saturday to say the strikes were all it planned and that the US did not intend on regime change efforts.
Trump told Fox News that six bunker-buster bombs were dropped on the Fordow nuclear site, while 30 Tomahawk missiles were fired against the others, Esfahan and Fordow.
US B-2 bombers were involved in the strikes, a US official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
‘Awesome and righteous US might’
Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett said that Trump was advised that the bombings would allow for the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear programme.
“Donald Trump has been advised that, as commander-in-chief, this will not lead to escalation,” Halkett reported from Washington, DC. “But he knows there is a chance that there could be an escalation as a result of his action.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s decision to attack Iran.
“Congratulations, President Trump. Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history,” Netanyahu said.
Israeli military officials said earlier on Saturday that they had completed another series of strikes on dozens of military targets in southwestern Iran.
Israel launched attacks on June 13, saying that Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons, which it neither confirms nor denies.
At least 430 people have been killed and 3,500 injured in Iran since Israel began its attacks, Iranian state-run Nour News said, citing the Ministry of Health.
In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed by Iranian missile attacks, according to local authorities, in the worst direct conflict between the longtime enemies. More than 450 Iranian missiles have been fired towards Israel, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
Israeli officials said that 1,272 people have been injured since the beginning of the hostilities, with 14 in serious condition.
