BREAKING: US Launches Direct Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites, Escalating Mideast Conflict

 June 22, 2025 – The United States has directly entered the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, launching early Sunday morning (IST) military strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, including the heavily fortified Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan sites. The unprecedented move, announced by President Donald Trump, marks a dramatic and perilous escalation in the Middle East, directly aligning the U.S. with Israel's objective of dismantling Iran's nuclear program.

President Trump, addressing the nation from the White House, declared the strikes a "spectacular military success," claiming that Iran's "key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated." He stated that all U.S. planes involved in the operation, which reportedly included B-2 stealth bombers and the use of 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, were safely out of Iranian airspace.

"This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD," Trump posted on social media, urging, "IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR." He warned of "far greater" and "a lot easier" future attacks if Iran does not make peace.

Key Details of the U.S. Intervention:

• Targets: The strikes specifically targeted the Fordow underground uranium enrichment facility, the larger enrichment plant at Natanz, and a site near Isfahan where Iran is believed to store near-bomb-grade enriched uranium.
• Weaponry: Reports suggest the use of B-2 stealth bombers and Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker-buster bombs, designed to destroy deeply buried, hardened targets. Fox News host Sean Hannity, citing a conversation with President Trump, reported six bunker-buster bombs used on Fordow and 30 Tomahawk missiles on Natanz and Isfahan.
• Coordination with Israel: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly praised Trump's "bold decision," stating that the U.S. "has done what no other country on earth could do" and that the two nations "worked as a team." An Israeli official confirmed Tel Aviv was in "full coordination" with the U.S. on the attack.
• Iranian Response: Iranian state media and officials acknowledged the attacks on all three nuclear sites. However, Iranian Atomic Energy Organization officials stated that the sites had been "evacuated" in advance and claimed the strikes would "not stop" their nuclear program. Morteza Heidari, a spokesman for crisis headquarters in Qom province, claimed Fordow had "not suffered any irreversible damage."
• Escalation Warning: Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei had previously warned that "any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region." The Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen has already threatened to target U.S. ships in the Red Sea if the U.S. joined the Israeli assault. A representative for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly called for retaliatory attacks on the U.S.

International Reactions and Implications:

• UN Alarm: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave alarm, stating he was "gravely alarmed" by the "dangerous escalation" and warned that the conflict could "rapidly get out of control — with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world."
• Diplomatic Setback: The strikes come just hours after Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, following talks with European officials in Geneva on Friday, indicated openness to further dialogue, though insisting Iran would not negotiate its nuclear program while under attack. The U.S. action is seen as a direct repudiation of diplomatic efforts.
• Shift in U.S. Policy: Trump's decision to directly involve U.S. military forces marks a significant departure from his "America First" foreign policy platform, which often emphasized avoiding foreign entanglements.
• Humanitarian Concerns: The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza continues to claim lives, with Gaza hospitals reporting over 84 killed in overnight strikes and over 200 bodies brought in over 48 hours. The direct U.S. involvement raises fears of a widening regional war that could exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation.
  
  

The world watches with bated breath as Iran's promised retaliation to any U.S. intervention now looms large, pushing the Middle East further into uncharted and perilous territory.