The U.S. is still conducting final damage assessments as Vice President Vance said the strikes ’substantially delayed’ Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon.
What to Know
- The United States has joined Israel’s attack on Iran by striking three nuclear sites, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, on June 21.
- President Donald Trump, in remarks late Saturday, said the United States “obliterated” Iranian nuclear facilities key to enrichment.
- U.S. airstrikes on the three nuclear sites involved 75 weapons, including 14 bunker-buster bombs carried by stealth bombers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said on Sunday.
- U.S. strikes inflicted “extremely severe damage” on the nuclear sites, Caine said.
- President Donald Trump, in remarks late Saturday, vowed “far greater” attacks if Iran doesn’t make peace.
- The United States worked as a team with Israel in the strikes, Trump said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump for the strikes.
- Responding to the strikes, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday said the United States is “fully responsible” for the consequences of the attack.
State Department Issues Worldwide Caution for US Citizens After US Strikes on Iran
The State Department has issued a “worldwide caution” for U.S. citizens living abroad in the wake of the escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict, following U.S. intervention targeting Iran’s nuclear sites.
In a June 22 alert, the department warned of potential demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests around the world. On June 21, U.S. forces launched airstrikes to neutralize threats from three Iranian nuclear facilities, which came amid the exchange of missiles between Israel and Iran.
“The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,” the bulletin stated, calling on U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise “increased caution.”
DHS Warns of Possible Cyber Attacks, Violence
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is warning Americans of the possibility of cyber attacks or violence in retaliation for the U.S. strikes on Iran.
“The ongoing Iran conflict is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States,” DHS announced in a national terrorism advisory bulletin.
DHS said that “low level cyber attacks” carried out by pro-Iran hackers are “likely.”
The bulletin warned that the domestic threat level would increase if Iran issued a religious ruling, known as a fatwa, calling for retaliatory violence against individuals or groups in the United States.
“The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict could contribute to US-based individuals plotting additional attacks,” the bulletin said.
This enhanced threat environment expires on Sept. 22.
Trump Hints Support for Possible Iranian ‘Regime Change’
President Donald Trump hinted that he may support “regime change” in Iran.
“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
He added “MIGA,” likely meaning “Make Iran Great Again.”
Earlier on Sunday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that regime change was not the goal of the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Damage to Main Iranian Enrichment Plant Unclear: UN
Rafael Grossi, the director general of the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency, said that it’s currently not possible to assess the damage to Iran’s main uranium enrichment plant, Fordow.
On June 21, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Fordow, alongside the nuclear sites at Isfahan and Natanz, had been “completely and totally obliterated” in U.S. strikes.
Grossi told the U.N. Security Council, in an emergency meeting called by Iran on Sunday, that while craters are visible at Fordow, the damage to the underground facilities can’t yet be assessed.
“At this time, no one, including the IAEA, is in a position to assess the underground damage at Fordo,” Grossi said.
Grossi said that at the Isfahan site, “entrances to tunnels used for the storage of enriched material appear to have been hit.”
He also confirmed that the fuel enrichment plant at the Natanz site has been hit.
What to Know About Fordow, Key Iranian Nuclear Site Struck by US
Iran’s most critical and heavily fortified nuclear site is located at Fordow, a mountainous region roughly 60 miles southwest of the Iranian capital of Tehran.
That site, along with Iran’s Natanz enrichment facility and its Isfahan nuclear technology center, were hit in a series of U.S. airstrikes on Saturday evening intended to destroy, or otherwise significantly set back, Iran’s nuclear program.
The Iranian regime built the core of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant 260 feet deep inside a mountain to protect it from airstrikes. The site contains advanced uranium centrifuge cascades, which are necessary for producing the fuel needed to create nuclear warheads.
Trump Vows to Unseat Massie Over Iran Criticism
President Donald Trump announced on June 22 that he and his allies would seek to unseat Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), in part referencing the Kentucky Republican’s opposition to Trump’s decision to bomb Iran nuclear sites on June 21.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Massie “thinks it’s good politics for Iran to have the highest level Nuclear weapon, while at the same time yelling ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ at every chance they get.”
That comes after Massie condemned U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, saying that carrying out these attacks without the consent of Congress was “not constitutional.”
While the Constitution technically requires congressional authorization for military actions, over recent decades, that power has largely been vested in the executive. The last formal declaration of war was made during World War II. Since then, Congress has largely restricted itself to broad authorizations for the use of force, such as the one that authorized the U.S. invasion of Iraq, without a formal declaration of war.
Massie has put forward a bill, co-sponsored by Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and 41 other Democratic lawmakers, that would require the United States to pull out of the conflict between Iran and Israel under the War Powers Resolution. No other Republicans currently back the proposal.
Trump said, “We will have a wonderful American Patriot running against [Massie] in the Republican Primary, and I’ll be out in Kentucky campaigning really hard. MAGA is not about lazy, grandstanding, nonproductive politicians, of which Thomas Massie is definitely one.”
This caps off months of tensions between the two men, as Massie has regularly stood against his party on key issues, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that would fund Trump’s agenda.
Iran Top Security Officials to Meet About Closing Hormuz Strait
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council will soon decide on whether to close the Strait of Hormuz after the Iranian parliament reportedly backed a measure to that effect, according to state-run media.
Nearly 20 percent of global oil and gas flows through the strait, which allows passage from the Persian Gulf—flanked by some of the world’s biggest oil-producing nations, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates—to the Indian Ocean.
It’s unclear whether the parliament has in fact authorized security officials to close the strait.
Iranian state media cited Esmail Kosari, a member of the parliament’s national security commission, as saying that the parliament has “come to the conclusion we should close the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision in this regard is the responsibility of the Supreme National Security Council.”
Kosari reportedly said earlier on Sunday that closing the strait was on the agenda and “will be done whenever necessary.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi didn’t answer directly when asked whether the Persian state would close the shipping corridor, simply replying, “A variety of options are available to Iran.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
Major US Cities on Alert After US Airstrikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities
Three major U.S. cities indicated that they’re on heightened alert following U.S. military airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities on June 21.
In an announcement on the night of June 21, President Donald Trump confirmed that the U.S. military carried out bombing missions targeting three facilities, prompting threats from Iranian officials.
“We’re tracking the situation unfolding in Iran,” the New York City Police Department stated in a post on X on the evening of June 21. “Out of an abundance of caution, we’re deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC [New York City] and coordinating with our federal partners. We’ll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC.”
Vance: Trump Admin Wants ‘No Boots on the Ground’ in Iran
Vice President JD Vance indicated that the Trump administration doesn’t want to place U.S. troops on the ground in Iran, following airstrikes targeting the country’s nuclear program on Saturday night.
“Mr. Vice President, can you rule out that getting involved in this conflict won’t eventually lead to U.S. boots on the ground,” NBC News reporter Kristen Welker asked Vance in an interview Sunday.
Vance replied that President Donald Trump has been “very clear” that the United States has “no interest in a protracted conflict” with Iran.
Trump Reports Bombers Involved in Iran Strikes Back in US
President Donald Trump announced that the American aircraft involved in the strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities have returned to the United States unharmed.
“The GREAT B-2 pilots have just landed, safely, in Missouri. Thank you for a job well done!!!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The bombers carried 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs. The strikes inflicted “severe damage and destruction” on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz.
Tomahawk missiles also struck the Esfahan facility as part of Operation Midnight Hammer.
Damage to Main Iranian Enrichment Plant Unclear: UN
Rafael Grossi, the director general of the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency, said that it’s currently not possible to assess the damage to Iran’s main uranium enrichment plant, Fordow.
On June 21, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Fordow, alongside the nuclear sites at Isfahan and Natanz, had been “completely and totally obliterated” in U.S. strikes.
Grossi told the U.N. Security Council, in an emergency meeting called by Iran on Sunday, that while craters are visible at Fordow, the damage to the underground facilities can’t yet be assessed.
“At this time, no one, including the IAEA, is in a position to assess the underground damage at Fordo,” Grossi said.
Grossi said that at the Isfahan site, “entrances to tunnels used for the storage of enriched material appear to have been hit.”
He also confirmed that the fuel enrichment plant at the Natanz site has been hit.
What to Know About Fordow, Key Iranian Nuclear Site Struck by US
Iran’s most critical and heavily fortified nuclear site is located at Fordow, a mountainous region roughly 60 miles southwest of the Iranian capital of Tehran.
That site, along with Iran’s Natanz enrichment facility and its Isfahan nuclear technology center, were hit in a series of U.S. airstrikes on Saturday evening intended to destroy, or otherwise significantly set back, Iran’s nuclear program.
The Iranian regime built the core of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant 260 feet deep inside a mountain to protect it from airstrikes. The site contains advanced uranium centrifuge cascades, which are necessary for producing the fuel needed to create nuclear warheads.
Iran Says ‘All Options’ on Table for Response to US Strikes on Nuclear Facilities
Iran reserves “all options” to respond to U.S. military strikes on its nuclear facilities on Saturday night, said Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Sunday morning.
In a statement released on social media, Araqchi said that the strikes “are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences.”
He said Iran now “reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people” in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
Hours later, the foreign minister suggested in a separate statement that diplomacy between Iran and the United States is now off the table following the strikes, which were conducted about a week after Israel launched a number of airstrikes on Iranian infrastructure in a bid to degrade the country’s nuclear capabilities. In response, Iran has launched hundreds of missiles at Israel, striking residential buildings, a hospital, and a mosque last week.
Here’s How US Strikes on Iran Unfolded
WASHINGTON—The U.S. strike on three Iranian nuclear facilities overnight from June 21 to 22 was a highly intricate plan that entailed more than 125 U.S. aircraft and warships and layers of deception, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Pentagon press briefing.
Dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, Hegseth said preparation for the mission took place over the course of weeks and months, “So that we could be ready when the president of the United States called.”
The U.S. strikes were made a week after Israel launched a series of surprise airstrikes across Iran, aimed at degrading the country’s nuclear programs and military capabilities.
Joining the conflict Israel initiated, U.S. military planners set Iran’s Fordow uranium enrichment facility as their primary target. With the Fordow facility situated hundreds of feet underground in a mountainous region of Iran, U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers carrying 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs, called GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators, offered one of the best options to destroy the facility.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said the operation was the longest B-2 bomber mission since 2001, the second longest B-2 mission ever flown, and the first operational use of the GBU-57 bombs.
‘We’ll Defend Our People’ If Iran Hits US Targets in Middle East: Rubio
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that if Iran decides to target American military bases in the Middle East, the United States will respond accordingly.
“Obviously, we’ll defend our people,” Rubio said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
“We’re prepared to do that, but we’ll do more than just defend—we’ll impose costs on Iran if they attack American personnel, whether they do it directly or whether they do it through some of these proxies that they try to hide behind. And that includes the Houthis.”
Rubio said he hopes Iran doesn’t choose that route and instead opts to enter into negotiations with the United States.
“We have achieved our objectives. We’re ready to negotiate this in a peaceful, diplomatic way,” he said.
Iran Has Everything It Needs ‘to Build a Nuclear Weapon’: Rubio
During a Sunday appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked about the U.S. intelligence community’s March assessment that the Iranian regime was not actively building a nuclear warhead.
“That’s an inaccurate representation of it,” Rubio said.
“What the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] knows: they are enriching uranium well beyond anything you need for a civil nuclear program.”
Uranium only needs to be enriched to 3.67 percent for civilian electricity production. The IAEA stated in early May that Iran has enriched Uranium up to 60 percent. Building a nuclear warhead requires 90 percent enriched uranium.
“So why would you enrich uranium at 60 percent, right? If you don’t intend to one day use it to take it to 90 [percent] and build a weapon? Why are you developing ICBMs?” Rubio said. “Why would you bury things in a mountain 300 feet under the ground?”
Rubio said Iran doesn’t need 60 percent enriched uranium and that only countries with nuclear weapons possess it, because it can quickly be further enriched to reach 90 percent.
“We have intelligence that they have everything they need to build a nuclear weapon, and that’s more than enough,” he added.
Rubio said Iran should turn over its 60 percent enriched uranium to other nations that can “down blend it” and use it for other purposes.
“If what they want is a civil, peaceful nuclear program, the route has always been there,” he added.
Rubio: What Happens Next Depends on Iran
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said what happens after the United States struck three of Iran’s critical nuclear sites on Saturday depends on what decision the regime makes.
“This wasn’t a regime change move. This was designed to degrade and or destroy three nuclear sites related to their nuclear weaponization ambitions, and that was delivered on yesterday,” Rubio said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
“What happens next will now depend on what Iran chooses to do next. If they choose the path of diplomacy, we’re ready. We can do a deal that’s good for them, the Iranian people, and good for the world.
“If they choose another route, then there’ll be consequences for that.”
Iran’s Nuclear Program Has Been ‘Substantially Delayed’ With US Airstrikes: Vance
Vice President JD Vance said that he believes the U.S. airstrikes on three of Iran’s nuclear sites on Saturday have set back the regime’s nuclear program.
“I feel very confident that we have substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon, and that was the goal of this attack. That’s why it was a success,” Vance said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
When asked how long, specifically, he thinks the strikes have delayed Iran’s nuclear program, Vance said he’s not going to get into sensitive intelligence, but that it is likely many years.
“I think that we have really pushed their program back by a very long time. I think that it’s going to be many, many years before the Iranians are able to develop a nuclear weapon,” Vance said.
“Our goal is that they’re never able to develop a nuclear weapons program, and that is a conversation that we’re gonna have” with the Iranians, he added.
Prior to the strikes, Israel said that Iran could be just weeks away from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while President Donald Trump had said Iran was weeks to months away from a nuclear bomb.
Vance: ‘No Interest in Boots on the Ground’
Vice President JD Vance said he doesn’t think Saturday’s airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites will lead to a bigger war, and that the United States is not interested in sending ground troops.
“We have no interest in boots on the ground,” Vance said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “I don’t fear that this is going to become a protracted conflict.”
He said the B-2 bomber strikes created an environment for a recalibration of relations between the United States and Iran, and suggested there’s still an opportunity for the regime to return to negotiations about its future.
“We want to end their nuclear program, and then we want to talk to the Iranians about a long-term settlement here,” Vance said.
“This is a reset. This is an opportunity for the Iranians to take the smart path. We certainly hope that they will.”
US Does Not Seek War With Iran: Hegseth
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States is not seeking war with Iran after Saturday’s strikes on three of the regime’s nuclear sites.
“As President Trump has stated, the United States does not seek war,” Hegseth said during a Sunday Pentagon press briefing.
“Iran should listen to the president of the United States and know that he means it, every word.”
When asked if the United States was getting into another “open ended war in the Middle East over weapons of mass destruction,” citing President George Bush’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003, Hegseth said President Donald Trump made it clear that the airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites were not an open ended military campaign.
“What the president gave us, as I said, was a focused, powerful, and clear mission on the destruction of Iranian nuclear capabilities. Those were the targets. That’s what was struck,” Hegseth said. “That’s what the Iranian regime needs to understand.”
He added that Trump wants peace and that Iran needs to negotiate a settlement.
“We ultimately demonstrated that Iran cannot have a nuclear capability. That is a very clear mission set on this operation,” he said.
Congressional Leaders Notified After US Planes Left Iran: Hegseth
When asked if congressional leaders were notified of the U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that lawmakers were debriefed “immediately” after U.S. aircraft had left Iranian airspace.
“They were notified after the planes were safely out. We complied with the notification requirements of the War Powers Act,” Hegseth said during a Pentagon press briefing.
Regime Change Not the Goal: Hegseth
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that the United States was not looking to topple the Iranian regime during Saturday night’s airstrikes on three of the nation’s critical nuclear sites.
“This mission was not, and has not, been about regime change,” Hegseth said during a Pentagon press briefing.
“The President authorized a precision operation to neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear program, and the collective self-defense of our troops and our ally Israel.”
Gen. Caine Says Damage to Iranian Nuclear Sites ‘Extremely Severe’
Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described the extent of the damage inflicted on Iranian nuclear sites during Saturday evening’s airstrikes.
“Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,” Caine said during a Sunday Pentagon press briefing.
The United States sent B-2 Bomber strike teams to hit Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites with bunker-buster bombs, or massive ordnance penetrators (MOPs).
“Our forces remain on high alert and are fully postured to respond to any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks, which would be an incredibly poor choice,” Caine said. “We will defend ourselves. The safety of our service members and civilians remains our highest priority.”
US Dropped 14 Bunker-Buster Bombs, 125 Aircraft Used
During a Sunday press briefing from the Pentagon, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said the B-2 bomber strike on three critical Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday evening contained 14 massive ordnance penetrators, known as bunker-buster bombs.
The campaign, called Operation Midnight Hammer, involved sending part of the package of B-2 bombers toward the west and into the Pacific as a “decoy” and “deception effort,” he added.
Caine said the airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites involved 75 precision weapons in total, including the 14 bunker-busters.
“More than 125 U.S. aircraft participated in this mission, including B-2 stealth bombers, multiple flights of fourth and fifth generation fighters, dozens and dozens of air refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine, and a full array of intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as hundreds of maintenance and operational professionals,” Caine said.
He added that he is not aware of any shots fired at the U.S. strike package.
Longest B2 Bomber Mission Since 2001: Hegseth
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that when President Donald Trump ordered strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites Saturday night, it was the longest B-2 Spirit Bomber mission since 2001.
It was also “the first operational employment of the MOP, a massive ordinance penetrator,” Hegseth said during a Sunday Pentagon press briefing.
Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the campaign was named Operation Midnight Hammer, and called it a “deliberate and precise strike against three Iranian nuclear facilities.”
5 Things to Know About the US Strikes on Iran
On June 21, President Donald Trump announced that the United States had taken part in strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, putting an end to weeks of speculation about how the White House would respond to the threat posed by a nuclear-capable Iran.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The move prompted domestic and international reactions. Here’s what to know.
Iran’s Key Nuclear Sites ‘Obliterated’
Trump said during an address to the nation that U.S. strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” three key Iranian nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan (also spelled Esfahan).
“Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump said during a 10 p.m. ET speech from the White House. He was flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
“Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror,” Trump said.
Fox News’ Sean Hannity recounted a conversation with Trump after the strikes, saying Trump informed him that the strikes had made use of 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs in the strikes. U.S. submarines also assisted.
Trump Threatens ‘Far Greater’ Attacks If No Peace
Trump threatened Iran with “far greater” attacks if the regime refused to make peace.
“Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,” Trump said. “If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.”
He added, “There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days.”
US Worked With Israel
Trump confirmed the United States worked with Israel, taking a moment in his address to the nation to thank Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we have gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they have done,” Trump said.
“And most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades. Hopefully, we will no longer need their services in this capacity; I hope that’s so.
“God bless the Middle East, God bless Israel, and God bless America,” Trump added.
Netanyahu also thanked Trump for the strikes.
“Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, with the awesome and righteous might of the United States, will change history,” he said.
“History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons,” he added.
Iran Atomic Agency Vows to Continue Program
The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization said that its development of its “national industry,” an apparent reference to its nuclear development.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency early Sunday confirmed that the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility had been struck. The outlet also acknowledged strikes on the Natanz enrichment facility and Isfahan nuclear processing site.
Iranian state media also said early Sunday that there were “no signs of contamination” at its nuclear sites targeted by U.S. airstrikes, per the country’s National Nuclear Safety System Center. The group said no radioactive release had been detected from the strikes.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to the attacks in a post on social media platform X, saying that Tehran “reserves all options” to retaliate.
“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the U.N. Charter, international law and the NPT [non-proliferation treaty] by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” he wrote.
Israel and the United States, on the other hand, had taken issue with Iran’s non-compliance with its safeguards agreement with the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)) and the agency’s inspections to confirm that its nuclear program remained peaceful, which is in violation of its legally binding international obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences,” Araghchi wrote. “In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”
The United Nations, Chile, Venezuela, and Cuba were among those to condemn the U.S. strikes as a dangerous escalation and violation of international law.
Prior to the strikes, Israel said that Iran could be just weeks away from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while Trump has said Iran was weeks to months away from a nuclear bomb.
The IAEA said on June 13 that Iran had enriched Uranium-235 to 60 percent, approaching the 90 percent threshold for weapons-grade nuclear enrichment. IAEA director general Rafael Grossi added on June 20 that the agency has “confirmed that Iran does have, even now, enough material for several warheads,” although the material may not be used for nuclear weapons.
A few hours after the U.S. strikes, the Israeli military said missiles launched by Iran toward Israel had been detected, triggering sirens across Israel and Jordan. Explosions were reported in Jerusalem, according to initial reports.
Some Lawmakers Want Congressional Authorization
While some lawmakers have been supportive of Trump’s authorizing the strikes, others want congressional authorization before any additional actions are undertaken.
Striking Iran without Congress’ approval “is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said.
“This was unconstitutional,” wrote Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who had been pushing for requiring congressional authorization to get involved in the conflict.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) called for lawmakers to immediately return to Washington to vote on a measure he had introduced alongside Massie “to prevent America from being dragged into another endless Middle East war.”
Hegseth Says US Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites an ‘Incredible and Overwhelming Success’
During a Sunday press briefing from the Pentagon with Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Air Force, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan the previous night were an “incredible and overwhelming success.”
Hegseth said the strikes were intended to “destroy or severely degrade Iran’s nuclear program.”
“When this President speaks, the world should listen. And the U.S. military, we can back it up: the most powerful military the world has ever known,” he said.
‘No Signs of Contamination’ After US Strikes on Nuclear Facilities, Iran Says
Iran’s nuclear regulatory authority said early Sunday that there were “no signs of contamination” following the U.S. bomber strikes on three of the nation’s nuclear facilities.
Iran’s National Nuclear Safety System Center, an arm of the independent Iran Nuclear Regulatory Authority, issued a statement carried by Iranian state media on its monitoring efforts as the dust was still settling from the massive U.S. strikes.
It detected no radioactive release at any of the three facilities—Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz—that were bombed, the agency said.
“There is no danger to the residents living around the aforementioned sites,” it added.
Iran has only one active nuclear reactor, the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, which has not been a target of the Israeli or U.S. attacks. The facilities targeted so far have been sites where Iran was enriching (Fordow and Natanz) and converting uranium (Isfahan) and making the centrifuges for such enrichment (Isfahan).
Saudi Arabia’s Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission also said that its monitors in the neighboring Gulf, to the west of Iran, had not detected any radiation after the U.S. strikes.
Iran’s Nuclear Agency Vows to Continue, Following US Strikes
Despite the U.S. strikes on its facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan on Saturday, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is vowing to continue its work.
In a statement shared by Iran’s state-run PressTV, the Iranian nuclear agency called the recent attacks on its facilities a violation of international law.
“The international community is expected to condemn this lawlessness based on jungle rules and to stand with Iran in asserting its legitimate rights,” the Iranian nuclear agency said.
Even in the face of Israeli and now U.S. strikes, the Iranian nuclear agency said it would not allow the progress of its industry to be halted.
“The organization has placed on its agenda all necessary actions to defend the rights of the noble Iranian people, including legal follow-up measures,” the agency added.
On June 20, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said that the U.N. watchdog agency assessed that Iran had enough uranium to produce “several” nuclear warheads, but that the regime may not use them for nuclear weapons.
With Iran being non-compliant with the IAEA inspections to confirm that its nuclear program remained peaceful, with no nuclear material being diverted for military purposes, U.S. President Trump had warned before the strikes, “Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left.”
After US Strikes, Trump Threatens ‘Far Greater’ Attacks If Iran Doesn’t Make Peace
In a White House address on the evening of June 21, President Donald Trump touted the success of a series of U.S. strikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites, and warned of even greater attacks to come should Iran choose to retaliate.
“Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsors [of terrorism]. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump announced.
The strikes mark a direct U.S. foray into a military campaign that Israel started a week earlier, in a surprise attack in the early morning hours on June 13. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had cast his country’s surprise operation as a move to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program and defang its offensive nuclear capabilities.
These Israeli strikes came one day before Iranian and U.S. representatives were set to hold a sixth round of talks with the United States looking to limit Iran’s nuclear program. Iran pulled out of those talks following the Israeli attack.
Thus far, Iran has responded to Israel’s attack by launching waves of ballistic missiles and explosive attack drones at Israel. Some of these weapons have begun to break through Israel’s air defense networks, causing damage, injuries, and deaths.
As he delivered his White House address, Trump warned Iran not to continue fighting.
“Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier,” the president said.
Trump said there are many targets left in Iran, but the ones that U.S. forces struck on Saturday were the most difficult.
While the initial Israeli operation had inflicted extensive damage to Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, the Iranian uranium enrichment facility at Fordow had remained a difficult target for Israeli forces to eliminate on their own.
The Fordow facility is situated hundreds of feet underground, nestled into a mountainous region of Iran. Military analysts assessed that U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers carrying 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs known as GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators would be one of the best ways to take out the fortified nuclear site.
Earlier on Saturday, reports emerged indicating B-2 bombers had departed the United States overnight between June 20 and 21, heading west.
On Saturday evening, Fox News host Sean Hannity reported that he had spoken with Trump following the U.S. strikes. Hannity said the president told him that B-2 bombers dropped five or six heavy bunker busters on the Fordow facility, while U.S. submarines fired 30 Tomahawk missiles at Iran’s Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities.
In his address, Trump said Iran’s key nuclear facilities have now “been completely and totally obliterated.”
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency has confirmed that the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities had been hit.
The full extent of the damage to the Iranian nuclear facilities cannot be independently confirmed at this time.
As he concluded his remarks, Trump announced Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would hold a press conference on Sunday morning to provide more details about the operation.
In his own televised address on Saturday night, Netanyahu thanked Trump for ordering the U.S. strikes on the Iranian nuclear sites. Netanyahu said Israel had done some “amazing things” in the span of its military campaign against Iran since June 13. “But in tonight’s actions against Iran’s nuclear facility, America has been truly unsurpassed.”
“History will report President Trump actively denied the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons,” Netanyahu added. “His leadership today has created a pivot of history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace.”
On Sunday, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran issued a statement condemning the U.S. strikes as a violation of international law. According to Iran’s state-run PressTV, the Iranian nuclear agency vowed it would not allow the U.S. strikes to halt the progress its program.
Joseph Lord contributed to this report.
Trump Commends Teamwork With Netanyahu in Iran Strikes
In his address to the nation, President Donald Trump said he worked “as a team” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we have gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel,” Trump said.
Trump thanked the Israeli military “for the wonderful job they have done.”
He also lauded the “American patriots” who carried out the strikes, along with the entire U.S. military, for executing an operation “the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades.”
“Hopefully, we will no longer need their services in this capacity,” he said.
Trump urged Iran to sign a peace agreement.
Democrats Criticize Trump for Iran Airstrikes
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) criticized President Donald Trump for launching airstrikes on Iran without congressional approval.
“In January—speaking to the entire nation at his Inauguration—Donald Trump proclaimed ‘We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars that we end, and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into,’” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement before Trump’s 10 p.m. speech.
Martin accused Trump of going “against his own words.”
He said Americans strongly oppose war and expect the president to seek congressional approval before engaging in military action.
“Donald Trump needs to bring his case to Congress immediately,” Martin said.
Hegseth to Hold 8 a.m. Press Conference
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will hold a press conference at 8:00 a.m. on June 22.
It comes after President Donald Trump announced that the United States had carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan sites.
Hegseth appeared alongside Trump, joined by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a 10:00 p.m. press conference at the White House Saturday.
Trump Threatens ‘Far Greater’ Attacks If Iran Doesn’t Make Peace
President Donald Trump said during a late-night address to the American people that Iran would face “far greater” attacks than it had earlier on Saturday if the nation didn’t make peace.
“Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,” Trump said, flanked by the vice president, secretary of state, and secretary of defense. “If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.”
He added, “There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days.
“Remember, there are many targets left tonight … If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed, and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes.”
Trump Says Iranian Nuclear Sites ‘Completely and Totally Obliterated’
President Donald Trump said during an address to the nation that U.S. strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” three key Iranian nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
“Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump said during a 10 p.m. ET speech from the White House. He was accompanied by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Trump announced earlier that the United States had carried out strikes on the three sites.
“Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror,” Trump said.
The Iranian state news agency has acknowledged some damage to the sites, but has provided few details.
Netanyahu Thanks Trump For Striking Iran’s Nuclear Sites
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address on June 21, thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for authorizing strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
“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 United States “has done what no other country on earth could do.”
“History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons,” he added.
Trump Tells Hannity 6 Bunker Busters Dropped, 30 Tomahawks Fired
President Donald Trump spoke with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Saturday evening, in an interview shortly after the president announced U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Recounting their conversation, Hannity said Trump informed him that U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers dropped five or six heavy bunker buster bombs on Iran’s Fordow uranium enrichment facility.
The heavy bunker busters in question may be 30,000-pound bombs known as GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators.
The Fordow nuclear facility is buried hundreds of feet underground in a mountainous region of Iran.
The GBU-57 is able to penetrate up to 200 feet down into soil and concrete before exploding.
In addition to the six heavy bunker busters, Hannity reported U.S. submarines located some 400 miles away, launched a salvo of 30 Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles, targeting Iran’s Natanz and Esfahan nuclear sites.
US Strikes 3 Iranian Nuclear Sites
U.S. warplanes dropped bombs on Iran’s Fordow uranium enrichment facility and two other Iranian nuclear facilities on June 21, President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform.
The president said the U.S. aircraft have already exited Iranian airspace and are now returning home.
“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.” Trump’s statement reads.
“Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this,” he added.
The strikes came just hours after reports emerged that U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers had departed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, heading west.
Israeli aircraft first began striking Iran on June 13, as part of an operation to halt Iran’s nuclear program and defang its offensive military capabilities.
While Trump had voiced support for the Israeli operation and said that Iran must not be able to obtain a nuclear weapon, he had avoided directly involving the U.S. military in the burgeoning Middle East flash point for more than a week.
On June 19, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would decide within the next two weeks whether the United States would join in military action against Iran.
“I have a message directly from the president, and I quote: ‘Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,’” Leavitt said at a White House press briefing.
This is a breaking story and will be updated with additional details.
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