Trump Escalates Iran Conflict with Direct Strikes on Nuclear Sites, Warns of More Attacks Without Peace Deal
Tehran Confirms Airstrikes on Fordow Facility; Israel Says U.S. Coordination Was Key; U.N. Calls Action a “Dangerous Escalation”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a stunning late-night address to the nation, former President Donald Trump confirmed that the United States conducted precision airstrikes on Iran’s three principal nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—marking a dramatic escalation in an already volatile Middle Eastern conflict. The strikes, coordinated closely with Israel, were described by Trump as a “spectacular military success” aimed at halting Iran’s nuclear ambitions and forcing the Islamic Republic to the negotiating table.
The former president, standing beside Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, warned that additional U.S. military action could follow if Iran refuses a peace agreement.
“Iran’s future holds either peace or tragedy,” Trump declared. “We will go after other targets with precision, speed, and skill if necessary.”
Precision Assault on Iran’s Nuclear Infrastructure
According to U.S. officials, the Pentagon deployed B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles in a highly coordinated overnight operation. Trump confirmed that six bunker-buster bombs targeted the Fordow enrichment plant, a heavily fortified site buried deep beneath a mountain near Qom. U.S. forces also fired 30 Tomahawk missiles at Natanz and Isfahan, key nodes in Iran’s uranium enrichment and fuel cycle capabilities.
Iranian state media acknowledged the attack but claimed damage was minimal. Mohammad Manan Raisi, a lawmaker representing Qom, told the Fars news agency that Fordow remained structurally intact. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization stated that no radiation leaks or contamination had been reported, and no enriched uranium was present at the sites at the time of the strikes.
Deputy political head of Iran’s state broadcaster, Hassan Abedini, claimed the facilities were evacuated weeks earlier amid rising tensions with Israel.
“The enriched uranium reserves had been transferred… there are no materials left there that, if targeted, would be harmful,” Abedini said.
Israeli Coordination and International Fallout
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly praised Trump’s actions, calling them a “bold decision” and a “historic move to deny the world’s most dangerous regime access to nuclear weapons.”
“History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons,” Netanyahu said in a televised statement from Tel Aviv.
Israel has led a week-long aerial campaign against Iran, claiming Tehran was “weeks away” from developing a nuclear bomb. The Israeli Defense Forces began their strikes on June 13, citing intelligence assessments and satellite imagery as justification for preemptive action.
Iran maintains its nuclear program is strictly peaceful, a position repeatedly affirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)—but disputed by U.S. and Israeli intelligence.
U.N. and Global Response
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the U.S. strikes as a “dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge”, warning that continued hostilities could destabilize the global economy and undermine decades of international diplomacy.
“This is a direct threat to international peace and security,” Guterres said from Geneva, urging all parties to return to negotiations immediately.
Efforts by Western diplomats to prevent war have so far failed, and multiple European Union leaders have expressed alarm over the potential for a regional conflagration that could draw in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the Gulf states.
Oil markets reacted sharply to the strikes, with crude prices rising 11% overnight amid fears that Iran might retaliate by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil supply flows.
Domestic Reactions: Divisions Within MAGA and Congress
While hawkish Republicans and pro-Israel groups applauded the action, others—including within Trump’s own MAGA base—voiced deep concerns.
Conservative firebrand Steve Bannon said on his War Room podcast that Trump must explain how this aligns with his “America First” doctrine.
“This is not what the base wanted to hear,” Bannon said. “He owes us a clear rationale, not just bunker-busters and sound bites.”
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, defended the former president on X, writing: “America stands with President Trump.”
In Congress, reactions fell along predictable partisan and constitutional lines:
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Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) called the operation “necessary but risky,” adding that America now faces “serious strategic choices.”
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Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) declared the action “not constitutional.”
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) went further, saying the strikes were “grounds for impeachment.”
Both Republicans and Democrats are calling for an emergency session of Congress to debate the legality of the action, especially as Trump did not consult or receive authorization under the War Powers Act.
Escalating Civilian Toll
Iran’s state-run Nour News reported at least 430 deaths and 3,500 injuries from Israeli airstrikes over the past week. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities say 24 civilians have been killed and over 1,200 injured by Iranian missile fire.
Humanitarian agencies warn that continued attacks on energy infrastructure, including Israel’s strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field, could cause massive economic shocks across the region and beyond.
A Pentagon briefing is scheduled for Sunday morning, where Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is expected to address the scope and objectives of the strike campaign.
Why It Matters
Trump’s decision to engage militarily with Iran marks a historic turning point in U.S. foreign policy. Despite years of rhetoric warning against “forever wars,” the former president has now opened a direct front in the Middle East—without congressional approval, in defiance of his own base, and in coordination with a foreign ally.
Whether these strikes bring peace or ignite further chaos remains to be seen. What is clear is that the world is now one step closer to a full-scale war, and the fragile architecture of nuclear nonproliferation hangs in the balance.
Sources:
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Tasnim News: Iran Confirms Airstrikes on Fordow Site
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Fars News Agency: Iran Says No Damage to Nuclear Facility
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Guardian: UN Calls Strikes a Dangerous Escalation
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Wall Street Journal: Israel-Iran Air Conflict Timeline
