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US strikes 3 Iranian nuclear sites inserting itself into Israel's war with Iran

By The Assam Tribune
US strikes 3 Iranian nuclear sites inserting itself into Israels war with Iran
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US President Donald  Trump in situation room during US strike on Iran.

Dubai, June 22: The United States attacked three sites in Iran early Sunday, inserting itself into Israel's war aimed at destroying the country's nuclear programme in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe that prompted fears of a wider regional conflict.

Addressing the nation from the White House, President Donald Trump asserted that Iran's key nuclear sites were “completely and fully obliterated.” There was no independent damage assessment.

The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but it insisted that its nuclear programme will not be stopped. Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog said there were no signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations.

It was not clear whether the US would continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a war with Iran for nine days. Trump acted without congressional authorisation, and he warned that there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against US 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 US attacks “will have everlasting consequences” and that Tehran “reserves all options” to retaliate.

Hours later, Iranian missiles struck areas in northern and central Israel, according to an Israeli rescue service. United Hatzalah said it was dispatching first responders, but here was no immediate word on casualties or damage.

The US helped Israel strike Iran's toughest nuclear site

Iran has maintained that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US 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.

The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel that significantly degraded Iran's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities.

But US and Israeli officials have said American B-2 stealth bombers and the 30,000-pound (13,500-kilogram) bunker-buster bomb that only they have been configured to carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear programme buried deep underground.

Trump appears to have made the calculation — at the prodding of Israeli officials and many Republican lawmakers — that Israel's operation had softened the ground and presented a perhaps unparalleled opportunity to set back Iran's nuclear programme, perhaps permanently.

“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan," Trump said in a post on social media, using common alternate spellings for two of the sites.

"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!”

Israel announced Sunday that it had closed its airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the US attacks.

The White House and Pentagon did not immediately elaborate on the operation. US military leaders are scheduled to provide a briefing at 8 am Eastern.

The attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant that is built deep into a mountain, a US official said. The weapons are designed to penetrate the ground before exploding. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

In addition, US submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles, according to another US official who also spoke on condition of anonymity.




-PTI


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