US hits three Iranian nuclear sites, Trump says ‘full payload’
The United States has targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities, with Trump affirming that the ‘full payload’ was deployed successfully. President Donald Trump has stated that the US military targeted three locations in Iran, directly aligning with Israel’s initiative to dismantle the nation’s nuclear program in a precarious move aimed at undermining a longstanding adversary, all while Tehran threatens retaliation that could ignite a broader regional conflict. The decision to directly involve the US follows over a week of Israeli strikes on Iran, aimed at systematically dismantling the nation’s air defenses and offensive missile capabilities, while also inflicting damage on its nuclear enrichment facilities.
However, officials from the US and Israel have indicated that American stealth bombers, equipped with a 30,000-lb bunker buster bomb that only they can carry, present the most promising opportunity for dismantling heavily fortified sites associated with the Iranian nuclear program, which are entrenched deep underground. “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump stated in a post on social media on Saturday. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space.” A complete payload of BOMBS was released on the main location, Fordow. All aircraft are securely en route to their respective destinations. Trump stated that B-2 stealth bombers were utilized, yet he did not clarify the specific types of bombs that were deployed. The White House and Pentagon refrained from providing further details regarding the operation.
The strikes represent a risky choice for the United States, given Iran’s vow to respond if it becomes involved in the Israeli offensive. For Trump, this is particularly consequential, as he ascended to the presidency on a commitment to avoid expensive foreign entanglements and has previously derided the merits of American interventionism. On Friday, Trump informed reporters that he had no intention of deploying ground forces to Iran. He had previously indicated that he would make a final choice over the course of two weeks, a timeline that appeared protracted as the situation was evolving rapidly.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a caution on Wednesday to the United States, stating that strikes aimed at the Islamic Republic will “result in irreparable damage for them”. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated, “any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region.” Trump has asserted that he would not permit Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon and he had initially anticipated that the prospect of military action would compel the nation’s leaders to relinquish their nuclear program peacefully.
On Saturday, Israel’s military announced its preparations for the potential of an extended conflict, while Iran’s foreign minister cautioned prior to the US attack that American military engagement “would be very, very dangerous for everyone.” The possibility of an expanded conflict loomed as well. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have indicated that they will recommence assaults on US vessels in the Red Sea should the Trump administration align itself with Israel’s military operations. The Houthis suspended these attacks in May as part of an agreement with the US.
The US ambassador to Israel declared that the US had initiated “assisted departure flights,” marking the first such flights from Israel following the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, which ignited the conflict in Gaza. However, Trump seems to have assessed — influenced by Israeli officials and numerous Republican lawmakers — that Israel’s actions have created a conducive environment, presenting a potentially unique chance to hinder Iran’s nuclear program, possibly for the long term. The Israelis assert that their offensive has effectively incapacitated Iran’s air defenses, enabling them to substantially diminish several Iranian nuclear facilities.
However, to eliminate the Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment facility, Israel has sought assistance from Trump for US bunker-busting bombs, specifically the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which utilizes its mass and significant kinetic energy to penetrate deeply buried targets before detonating. The penetrator is presently delivered exclusively by the B-2 stealth bomber, which is solely part of the American arsenal. The bomb is equipped with a conventional warhead and is thought to penetrate approximately 200 feet (61 metres) beneath the surface prior to detonation. Furthermore, these bombs can be deployed in succession, allowing for progressively deeper drilling with each subsequent explosion.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that Iran is producing highly enriched uranium at Fordo, which raises the possibility that nuclear material could be released into the area if the GBU-57 A/B were deployed to strike the facility. The IAEA has reported that prior Israeli strikes on the Iranian nuclear facility at Natanz, specifically targeting a centrifuge site, resulted in contamination confined solely to the site itself, without affecting the surrounding area.
Trump’s decision for direct US military intervention follows an unsuccessful two-month effort by his administration, which included high-level, direct negotiations with the Iranians, aimed at persuading Tehran to limit its nuclear programme. For months, Trump maintained that he was committed to a diplomatic effort aimed at convincing Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. He successfully convinced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on two occasions — once in April and again in late May — to delay military action against Iran, allowing for an extended period of diplomatic efforts.
In recent days, the US has been repositioning military aircraft and warships in and around the Middle East, aiming to safeguard Israel and US bases from potential Iranian attacks. Throughout this period, Trump has transitioned from articulating optimism that the moment might represent a “second chance” for Iran to negotiate a deal, to issuing direct threats against Khamenei and demanding Tehran’s unconditional surrender.
“We know exactly where the so-called Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” Trump stated in a social media posting. “He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.” The military confrontation with Iran arises seven years subsequent to Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the agreement facilitated by the Obama administration in 2018, which he labeled as the “worst deal ever”. The 2015 agreement, executed by Iran, the US, and other global powers, established a long-term, comprehensive framework that constrained Tehran’s uranium enrichment activities in return for the alleviation of economic sanctions.
Trump criticized the agreement from the Obama administration for providing Iran with excessive concessions in exchange for minimal gains, as it failed to address Iran’s non-nuclear malign activities. Trump has reacted defensively to criticism from certain members of his MAGA base, including conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who have implied that additional US engagement would constitute a betrayal to those supporters attracted by his commitment to terminate US participation in costly and perpetual conflicts.
