Israel-Iran war live: Trump says US has attacked nuclear sites in Iran including Fordow

Importance Score: 78 / 100 🔴

US Strikes Iranian Nuclear Facilities Amid Rising Regional Tensions

President Donald Trump declared on Saturday that the U.S. military conducted strikes on three Iranian sites, effectively joining Israel’s effort to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program. This calculated risk aims to weaken a long-standing adversary amidst Tehran’s threats of retaliation, potentially igniting a broader regional conflict. This action intensifies the already critical Israel-Iran war situation.

The decision for direct U.S. involvement follows over a week of Israeli strikes targeting Iran, systematically dismantling its air defenses and offensive missile capabilities while impairing its nuclear enrichment infrastructure. Officials from both the U.S. and Israel have suggested that American stealth bombers, along with a uniquely-equipped 30,000-lb. bunker-buster bomb, presented the optimal solution for breaching heavily fortified sites linked to Iran’s subterranean nuclear program.

“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.”

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These strikes represent a precarious choice for the U.S., as Iran has vowed to respond if it assists in the Israeli actions. Furthermore, it poses a personal challenge to Trump, who secured his White House victory through promises to keep America disengaged from expensive international conflicts and has often criticized American interventionism.

Immediate Responses to the US Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites

Israel Increases Alert Levels Following US Action

Following the U.S. strikes, Israel has escalated its alertness, restricting activities to essential functions until further notice, as announced by the military on Sunday. The Israel-Iran war escalates tensions further.

“It was decided to shift all areas of the country from Partial and Limited Activity to Essential Activity,” including “a prohibition on educational activities, gatherings, and workplaces, except for essential sectors”, stated the Israeli military.

New York Police Enhance Security at Key Locations

In the U.S., the New York Police Department has boosted security measures, deploying supplementary resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites throughout the city “as a precautionary measure.”

Official Statements and Reactions

Iranian Official Confirms Strike on Fordow Enrichment Plant

IRNA, the state-operated news agency (whose website is currently offline), cited an unnamed provincial official confirming that part of the Fordow nuclear site sustained damage.

“Hours ago, after Qom’s air defenses were activated and hostile targets were identified, part of the Fordow nuclear site was attacked by enemy airstrikes,” stated Morteza Heydari, a spokesperson for the Qom Provincial Crisis Management Headquarters, according to an Al Jazeera translation.

Conversely, Iranian state media claims that the sites impacted by U.S. bombings contained no radioactive matter, according to Reuters.

Fordow is a key uranium enrichment facility in Iran, situated approximately 80-90 meters beneath a mountain. Israel previously targeted the site during their initial attacks; however, the IAEA nuclear watchdog reported no damage at that time.

Trump Addresses Media, Republican Lawmakers Voice Support

President Trump has started contacting reporters. After the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, the President told Axios “we had a great success tonight, Israel is much safer now”. A formal address to the nation has been announced.

Republican lawmakers are expressing their support for the strikes. Senator Lindsey Graham said it was the right call, stating “this regime deserves it.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune voiced his support for Trump’s actions, “to ensure a nuclear weapon remains out of reach for Iran.”

Thune added, “The regime in Iran, which has committed itself to bringing ‘death to America’ and wiping Israel off the map, has rejected all diplomatic pathways to peace.”

Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, affirmed that the strikes “should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says.”

He added, “The President gave Iran’s leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement. President Trump has been consistent and clear that a nuclear-armed Iran will not be tolerated. That posture has now been enforced with strength, precision, and clarity.”

Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, noted Trump taking “decisive action” that only American weaponry could execute.

“This is not the start of a forever war. There will not be American boots on the ground in Iran. This was a precise, limited strike, which was necessary and by all accounts was very successful,” he said.

Senator Ted Cruz commended the strike, saying, “As long as Iran was able to access and conduct activities at Fordow, they could still rush to build a nuclear arsenal. Tonight’s actions have gone far in foreclosing that possibility, and countering the apocalyptic threat posed by an Iranian nuclear arsenal.”

Democrats React: Sanders and Tlaib Decry Unconstitutional Action

Senator Bernie Sanders was in Tulsa, Oklahoma at a rally on his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour on Saturday night when news of the strikes broke.

Reading Trump’s announcement to the crowd, he was met with immediate boos and chants of “no more war”.

“I agree,” Sanders replied.

“It is so grossly unconstitutional. All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the US Congress. The president does not have the right.”

This sentiment was echoed by Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who also denounced the strikes as unconstitutional, stating:

“President Trump sending U.S. troops to bomb Iran without the consent of Congress is a blatant violation of our Constitution. The American people do not want another forever war. We have seen where decades of endless war in the Middle East gets us—all based on the lie of ‘weapons of mass destruction.’ We are not falling for it again.

“Instead of listening to the American people, Trump is listening to War Criminal Netanyahu, who lied about Iraq and is lying once again about Iran. Congress must act immediately to exert its war powers and stop this unconstitutional act of war.

Further Reactions and Insights

• Verified information regarding the impact of the US strike, particularly the destruction to the Fordow nuclear facility, is still awaited.
• President Trump reposted an account on his Truth Social platform stating, “Fordow is gone.”
• According to Reuters, Israeli state broadcaster Kan quoted an Israeli official stating that Israel was “in full coordination” with the US concerning the Iran strike.
• President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social about his 10 pm address: “This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!”
• Yoav Gallant, previous Israeli Minister for Defence, has voiced his backing the US Strike on social media saying: “President Trump took a bold decision for the United States, for Israel, for all of humanity… The world is now a safer place.”
• US Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, likewise posted his support: “As I’ve long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS… Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I’m grateful for and salute the finest military in the world.”
• The Reuters news agency cites a U.S. official stating that U.S. B-2 bombers participated in the attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites.

Initial Report: US Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the U.S. military initiated strikes on three sites within Iran, thereby directly engaging in Israel’s mission of dismantling Iran’s nuclear program—a high-stakes maneuver to destabilize a longtime opponent amidst Tehran’s warnings of reprisals, potentially igniting a wider regional conflict.

The resolution to directly involve the U.S. comes after sustained strikes by Israel on Iran aimed at the systematic disruption of the country’s air defenses and offensive missile infrastructure, including its nuclear enrichment capabilities. Senior officials from both the U.S. and Israel have conveyed that American stealth bombers and a uniquely equipped 30,000-lb. bunker-buster bomb presented the optimal solution for breaching heavily fortified sites associated with the Iranian underground nuclear program.

“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.”

The strikes represent a high-risk decision for the U.S., given Iran’s pledge to retaliate if it joins the Israeli action, and for Trump himself, who campaigned on promises of keeping the U.S. out of costly foreign conflicts and expressed skepticism toward American interventionism.

Ongoing Coverage of the Israel-Iran War

Welcome to the Guardian’s continuous coverage of the Israel-Iran War.

Donald Trump has announced that the US has attacked nuclear sites in Iran, including the Fordow site.

On Truth Social, he declared: “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. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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