WASHINGTON (BN24) — President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday that the United States military has directly joined Israel’s campaign to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, conducting airstrikes on three fortified nuclear sites inside Iran in what marks a significant escalation with potentially explosive consequences for the region.
In a post on social media, Trump declared, “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. 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.”
The strikes, which mark America’s first direct military involvement in Israel’s war with Iran, come after days of Israeli-led assaults aimed at degrading Tehran’s missile infrastructure and nuclear enrichment capacity. U.S. officials, speaking anonymously, said only American B-2 stealth bombers, capable of carrying the 30,000-pound GBU-57 bunker-busting bomb, could reliably target Iran’s deeply buried uranium enrichment sites.
The Iranian government has vowed retaliation, warning of dire consequences if the U.S. continues its intervention. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking in Turkey during an Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit, said American participation in the attacks would be “very, very dangerous for everyone.”
The Fordow enrichment facility, embedded in a mountain and considered one of Iran’s most impenetrable sites, was reportedly struck with bunker-buster munitions. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed extensive damage at Isfahan, where a centrifuge production site was also hit. The agency assured there was no off-site radiation risk.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Forces announced that their air campaign had already destroyed over half of Iran’s missile launchers, with Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin stating the military is preparing for a “prolonged campaign.”
The Houthi rebels in Yemen, aligned with Tehran, warned they would resume Red Sea attacks on U.S. vessels if American forces deepened involvement. The group had halted such actions under a previous agreement with Washington, but said the U.S. strikes nullify the deal.
The U.S. has now begun “assisted departure flights” from Israel, marking the first such evacuations since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel ignited the Gaza war.
According to the Washington-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 722 Iranians, including 285 civilians, have been killed since hostilities began on June 13. Over 2,500 have been injured, including many caught in Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on military and nuclear infrastructure.
Videos from Tehran hospitals showed civilian victims describing blasts that blew apart homes and businesses. One woman said, “I’ve had five surgeries. I think I have nothing right here that is intact.”
In Israel, at least 24 people have died and more than 1,000 injured in Iranian missile and drone retaliation, according to official estimates.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is purely peaceful, though it is the only non-nuclear nation enriching uranium up to 60%, a step away from weapons-grade. Israel and the U.S. claim Iran is dangerously close to acquiring a nuclear bomb.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated Saturday that Tehran will not renounce its nuclear ambitions, stating during a call with French President Emmanuel Macron that “war and threats” will not alter Iran’s course, but that the country is willing to provide transparency measures.
Trump, who withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement during his first term, has consistently rejected any Iranian enrichment, demanding a full shutdown of its nuclear program. His administration views the current campaign as a final effort to eliminate what he calls the “existential threat” posed by Iran’s atomic capabilities.
Among the recent Israeli and U.S. strikes, the death of Saeed Izadi, commander of the Quds Force’s Palestine Corps and a key figure in arming Hamas for its Oct. 7, 2023, assault, was announced by Israel. Separately, Behnam Shahriyari, who oversaw weapons transfers to Hezbollah and Hamas, was also killed in western Iran.
A third commander, Amin Pour Joudaki, who led Iran’s drone operations against Israel, was reported killed as well.
Amid the military escalation, Iran’s leadership accused IAEA Director Rafael Grossi of providing Israel with justifications to strike. An adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned online that Grossi would “pay” for his remarks once the war ends.
Grossi had earlier cautioned against attacks on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear reactor, saying such a strike could cause catastrophic radioactive fallout.
Despite fears of escalation, neither Israel nor the U.S. has targeted nuclear reactors directly, instead focusing on enrichment centers, centrifuge workshops, and heavy water facilities.
Trump said he would delay a decision on deeper U.S. involvement for up to two weeks to “see whether or not people come to their senses,” leaving the door open to a broader military role.
No further diplomatic talks are currently scheduled following deadlocked Geneva negotiations. The conflict continues to evolve with increasing intensity, and global powers remain divided — with Russia and China demanding de-escalation, and Europe struggling to mediate.
As the Middle East teeters on the brink of a wider war, the full implications of America’s direct entry into the battlefield remain uncertain. But for now, the bombs have fallen — and the consequences are only beginning to unfold.
