U.S. forces have carried out airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear and military sites — Natanz, Fordo, and Isfahan — in a dramatic escalation of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. President Donald Trump confirmed the operation, calling it a “very successful attack,” with Fordo identified as the primary target.
Trump said the U.S. military action was aimed at “restoring peace and preventing a larger war.” He insisted that Iran “must now agree to end this war” and reiterated that under no circumstances should Iran possess a nuclear weapon.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation acknowledged the strikes and said attacks on its nuclear facilities would not stop the country’s national industry. “Despite the evil conspiracies of its enemies,” the agency stated, Iran would continue its nuclear work, which it described as the result of sacrifices by “nuclear martyrs.” It also said the attacks violated international law but did not provide details on the extent of the damage.
Iranian Foreign Minister Sayyid Abbas Araghchi condemned the strikes as a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law, and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He warned of “everlasting consequences” and asserted Iran’s right to self-defense under international law.
President Masoud Pezeshkian also issued a strong warning, telling French President Emmanuel Macron that Iran’s response to continued Israeli aggression would be “more devastating.”
Meanwhile, Iranian officials assured that there was no danger to residents near the Fordo enrichment site in Qom province, which was among the locations struck.
The U.S. airstrikes follow Israel’s June 13 attacks on Iranian facilities, which were justified by Israel as a preemptive measure against an imminent nuclear threat. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks.
The Natanz facility, already hit by Israel earlier this month, is believed to have suffered further damage. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) noted that centrifuge cascades were likely destroyed due to power disruption.
Efforts to revive U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations had stalled in recent months, adding to the tensions that now threaten to spiral into wider regional conflict.
