WASHINGTON — The United States military has launched a targeted strike on three major Iranian nuclear sites in an overnight operation that marks a sharp escalation in Middle East tensions.
The attack, ordered and announced by President Donald Trump, hit the Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan facilities — all key locations in Iran’s nuclear program.
President Trump confirmed the strike in a post on Truth Social late Saturday night, calling the mission “very successful” and praising U.S. military forces for what he described as a “full payload” bombing of the Fordow site in particular.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” the president wrote. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space… There is not another military in the world that could have done this.”
The Fordow facility is Iran’s most fortified and secretive nuclear site, built deep into a mountain near the city of Qom. Its underground construction made it nearly impossible for conventional weapons to reach it — which is why, according to defense analysts, the U.S. likely used stealth B-2 bombers equipped with 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs.
While the Pentagon has not officially confirmed the type of aircraft or weapons used, the operation appears to have relied heavily on long-range precision targeting and deep-penetration munitions. No U.S. aircraft were reported lost, and all forces have reportedly returned to base safely.
Satellite imagery from Maxar shows minimal above-ground damage as of Sunday morning, but analysts caution that underground impacts at Fordow and Natanz may take days to fully assess.
Iran’s government called the strikes a violation of sovereignty and said it would retaliate “at the time of its choosing.” The Foreign Ministry labeled the attack “unprovoked military aggression,” and Iran has requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
So far, there has been no official confirmation from Iran regarding casualties or the extent of the destruction at the three sites.
International reaction has been swift. Israel welcomed the strikes, calling them “necessary to prevent a nuclear Iran,” while Russia and China both condemned the U.S. action and called for immediate restraint. European leaders expressed concern about escalation and urged diplomatic efforts to resume immediately.
This strike comes just days after President Trump gave Iran a two-week deadline to return to negotiations over its nuclear program, a deadline Iran publicly rejected. It also follows weeks of rising tensions in the region, including rocket fire between Israeli forces and Iranian-backed militias.
Some analysts believe this strike may have been in coordination with Israeli intelligence, given the joint interest in targeting Fordow, a site Israel has long considered beyond its reach.
National security insiders say the U.S. aims to send a clear message — not just to Iran, but to other adversaries watching.
For now, the world watches closely to see how Tehran responds — and whether this strike marks a one-off show of force, or the beginning of a larger military confrontation.
This is a developing story.
