By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The United States in the early hours of Sunday struck three sites in Iran, inserting itself into Israel’s war aimed at destroying Tehran’s nuclear programme in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe.
Addressing the nation from the White House, President Donald Trump asserted that Iran’s key nuclear facilities were “completely and fully obliterated”, but no independent damage assessment has been conducted.
It was not clear whether the U.S. would continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a nine-day war with Iran.
Trump acted without approval from the congress and he warned that there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against U.S. forces.
“There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,” he said.
Iran’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, warned in a post on X that the U.S. attacks “will have everlasting consequences” and that Tehran “reserves all options” to retaliate.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations called for an emergency Security Council meeting to discuss what he described as the U.S.’s “heinous attacks and illegal use of force” against Iran.
Early Sunday morning Israel alerted the public of an Iranian missile launch and urged people to take shelter. Sirens sounded in Jerusalem a short while later and a series of booms were heard.
Iran has been firing missile at Israel since the war began but they have decreased in size as Israel targets Tehran’s missile launchers.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but it insisted that its work will not be stopped. Iran said there were no signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations and no danger to nearby residents.
Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, and U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb. However, Trump and Israeli leaders have claimed that Iran could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat.
Trump in a post on his Truth Social said all three sites were attacked. “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 added in a later post: “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!”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s decision to attack in a video message directed at the American president.
“Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, with the awesome and righteous might of the United States, will change history,” he said. Netanyahu said the U.S. “has done what no other country on earth could do”.
