In a dramatic escalation of the Middle East conflict, the US has intervened in Israel’s war with Iran (-> Are Israel and its allies running out of defenses?). US President Donald Trump announced in the White House on Sunday night that several Iranian nuclear facilities had been targeted and bombed. These were “critical uranium enrichment facilities” which, according to Trump, had been “totally destroyed”.
“Iran is now at a crossroads,” said Trump. “Either it chooses the path of peace – or it will experience even more devastating attacks.”
Destinations: Fordo, Natans and Isfahan
To the information provided by the US armed forces (-> Latest news from the US armed forces) include the underground enrichment facility in Fordo, as well as other nuclear sites in Natan and Isfahan, according to the US President. “If Iran does not move quickly to peace, we will take out more targets with precision, speed and efficiency – many of which can be neutralized within minutes,” Trump continued.
Was passiert mit deiner Stadt bei einer Atombombenexplosion?
The aim of the operation was to destroy Iran’s capacity to produce fissile material – and to eliminate the nuclear threat posed by the “world’s largest state sponsor of terror”, according to Trump.
According to official US sources, 7 US long-range B-2 bombers were involved in the attacks. They are said to have carried 12 GBU-57 bunker busters (-> GBU-57 – the mother of all super bombs) on Fordow and two more GBU-57s on Natanz. In addition, 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles are said to have been fired from a submarine.
By comparison, the largest bomb used in the Gaza war weighed 2,000 pounds, while the GBU-57 weighs an incredible 30,000 pounds.
Iran announces reaction
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reacted sharply to the attack. He wrote on Platform X: “The events of this morning are outrageous and will have profound and lasting consequences.” In the past, the Islamic Republic had repeatedly threatened retaliatory strikes against US targets in the region and beyond.
However, Trump threatened a harsh response if the worst comes to the worst: “Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with a force far greater than what was seen tonight,” the US president said on his Truth Social platform.
According to US media reports, around 40,000 US soldiers are currently stationed at military bases in the Middle East – including in Iraq, Qatar and Kuwait.
Netanyahu praises “courageous decision”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the US action as a historic turning point. In a video message, he spoke of Trump’s “courageous decision” to “target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the mighty and righteous power of the United States”. According to Netanyahu, this step will “change history”.
From isolation to escalation
Just a few days ago, Trump emphasized that Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear bomb. He originally ran for office with the aim of keeping America out of international conflicts. Most recently, Trump had kept a low profile on whether an attack on Iran was imminent – now the decision has apparently been made.
