President Donald Trump has described the United States’ airstrikes on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities as a “spectacular military success”, warning Tehran that further retaliation would follow unless peace is quickly restored.
In a televised address from the White House, Trump stated: “This cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days.”
He called on Iran to return to negotiations, cautioning that the US would respond with “speed” and “precision” if provoked.
The strikes, which reportedly targeted key Iranian nuclear enrichment sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan using GBU-57A Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs, marked the first direct deployment of US troops into Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
Appearing with Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump declared: “Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.”
The full extent of the damage remains unclear, as Iranian authorities have yet to provide an official assessment. The strikes were carried out in the middle of the night, and US officials say all American aircraft had exited Iranian airspace before the operation was publicly announced.
Trump emphasized the significance of the operation: “Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight was the most difficult of them all by far, and perhaps the most lethal.”
The US reportedly informed Iran through diplomatic channels that it had no plans for regime change and that no further attacks were currently planned, according to CBS News.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the Trump administration gave Israel advance notice of the operation. In a statement, Netanyahu said: “President Trump and I often say: ‘Peace through strength.’ First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”
The airstrikes come amid an escalating conflict that began on 13 June, when Israel launched an unexpected assault on Iranian military and nuclear sites, aiming to cripple its nuclear program. Iran responded by firing hundreds of rockets and drones toward Israel.
The Washington-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports that 657 people have been killed in the conflict so far. Iranian retaliation reportedly includes missile strikes on Israel that have killed at least 24 people.
The situation remains tense, with large numbers of Iranians reportedly fleeing to neighboring Armenia to escape the violence, while misinformation continues to spread online, fueled by AI-generated content surrounding the conflict.
