In a significant escalation of the ongoing Middle East conflict, the U.S. military launched coordinated bombing attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday night.
The operation was described as necessary by U.S. officials to thwart Iran’s potential development of a nuclear weapon, a claim that has reignited tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
President Donald Trump announced the operation on Truth Social, praising the strikes as “very successful.”
Earlier in June, Israel had already begun targeting nuclear facilities and other key locations across Iran, and the two countries were engaged in a series of deadly exchanges.
U.S. military support included intercepting missiles and drones aimed at Israel, but the recent strikes marked the first significant direct involvement of the U.S. military in the Israeli offensive.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, condemned the U.S. military operation as an “outrageous, grave and unprecedented violation” of the United Nations Charter and international law.
These developments have led observers to question how Iran will respond to the U.S. actions.
The military operation, dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” began just after midnight on Friday.
Reports from Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine revealed that a group of B-2 stealth bombers launched from an Air Force base near Kansas City, Missouri.
To execute a complex tactical plan, some bombers flew west as decoys while others targeted crucial Iranian sites, including Fordo and Natanz.
Between approximately 6:40 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. ET, the bombers dropped 14 bunker-buster bombs on multiple targets.
Bunker-buster bombs are specialized munitions designed to penetrate deep underground fortifications before detonating.
At around 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, coinciding with the bombers’ entry into Iranian airspace, a submarine launched over two dozen Tomahawk missiles at the Isfahan nuclear site.
The operation involved more than 125 aircraft and resulted in 75 precision-guided munitions being unleashed on three specified locations.
U.S. officials emphasized that these strikes were focused exclusively on Iran’s nuclear program, rather than targeting its military or civilian population.
In response to the U.S. military action, Iran’s Foreign Minister once again made a stand, characterizing the strikes as a serious breach of national sovereignty and international law.
During a press conference in Istanbul, Araghchi announced, “The war-mongering and lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression.”
He indicated that Iran “reserves all options to defend its security interests and people” without disclosing specific retaliatory measures.
Mixed reactions ensued from various international leaders.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warmly thanked Trump in a video message, while Knesset opposition leader Yair Lapid expressed that the U.S. strikes had rendered the world a safer place.
Conversely, European leaders responded with caution and continued to advocate for diplomatic solutions among Iran, Israel, and the U.S.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted that Iran must never be permitted to develop a nuclear weapon and urged the nation to engage in negotiations.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, however, expressed grave concern regarding the U.S. military action, describing it as a “dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.”
In a similar vein, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the bombings as “irresponsible” and a “gross violation of international law.”
In the United States, the political fallout was markedly divided along party lines.
Many Congressional Republicans backed Trump’s decision, with House Speaker Mike Johnson supporting the operation as a necessary move.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune described Iran’s rejection of diplomatic avenues as justification for military action.
In stark contrast, a number of Democrats expressed skepticism about Trump’s authorization of the attack, citing concerns over constitutional authority.
Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, asserted that the strike was a breach of the Constitution, which grants Congress the power to declare war.
Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona noted on Meet The Press that Iran did not pose an immediate threat prior to the airstrikes.
He stated, “For the 40,000 troops in at least six countries in the Middle East — we have a lot of bases in the Middle East — those troops are now at greater risk.”
Reaction was not strictly confined to party affiliation; Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie expressed his belief that Congress should have been consulted before the attack.
The Trump administration is working to assess the effectiveness of the bombing operation.
According to Gen. Caine, initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three nuclear sites sustained significant damage.
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that the sites at Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz were subject to bombings.
However, independent experts caution that Iran’s nuclear capabilities remain intact, emphasizing that the country likely still possesses stocks of highly enriched uranium.
The IAEA also reported that Iranian authorities had not detected increased off-site radiation post-bombings, indicating minimal health impacts for those residing outside the targeted facilities.
Looking ahead, it remains uncertain how Iran will retaliate against the U.S. for the attack and the form such retaliation might take.
Gen. Caine advised that U.S. forces are on high alert and will respond to any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks.
The U.S. maintains permanent military bases in several nations bordering Iran, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE.
In light of escalating tensions, the State Department announced it is doubling the number of emergency evacuation flights for American citizens from Israel and evacuating non-essential staff from the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon.
image source from：npr
