US Carries Out Airstrikes on Three Iranian Nuclear Sites, Trump Announces
Operation Targets Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan Facilities Using B-2 Stealth Bombers
In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, President Donald Trump announced late Saturday that the United States military has conducted successful airstrikes on three of Iran’s most critical nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The operation, which utilized B-2 stealth bombers and advanced munitions, marks the first direct American attack on Iranian nuclear infrastructure since the 1979 revolution and signals a significant shift in US engagement in the region.
According to President Trump’s address and subsequent posts on social media, the strikes were meticulously planned and executed in full coordination with Israeli military efforts. “We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of bombs was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home,” Trump stated.
The Fordow facility, built deep within a mountain and considered one of Iran’s most fortified nuclear sites, was reportedly targeted with six 15-ton bunker-buster bombs dropped by B-2 bombers. The Natanz and Isfahan sites were struck with Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from US submarines in the region. US officials confirmed the use of B-2 bombers, which are uniquely capable of penetrating heavily fortified underground targets.
Regional and Global Repercussions
The US strikes come after more than a week of Israeli attacks on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, part of a campaign to degrade Iran’s nuclear capabilities and air defenses. The US decision to join the campaign follows a breakdown in diplomatic negotiations; Iran had withdrawn from scheduled nuclear talks just days before the operation.
President Trump framed the operation as a necessary step to halt what he called “the world’s number one state sponsor of terror” from acquiring nuclear weapons. “Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity, and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump said in his national address.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization confirmed the attacks on its Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan sites but insisted that its nuclear program would continue. Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that any US military action would trigger retaliation, raising fears of a broader regional conflict. The White House and Pentagon have not yet released independent assessments of the damage, and it remains unclear if further US strikes are planned.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the US action, calling it a “bold decision” that would “change history” in the region5. Meanwhile, US and allied forces in the Middle East are on high alert for potential Iranian reprisals.
The coming days are likely to see heightened tensions and uncertainty as the world watches for Iran’s response to this unprecedented military intervention.