President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday evening that American forces carried out targeted strikes on three key nuclear installations in Iran—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The announcement came as tensions between Iran and Israel entered a volatile second week.
The decision to hit these sites marks a significant military intervention in the region. All three locations have long been monitored by international agencies and nuclear analysts due to their potential role in advancing Iran’s nuclear fuel cycle and weapons-related enrichment efforts.
Located roughly 250 kilometers south of Tehran, Natanz stands as Iran’s most expansive uranium enrichment complex. Experts describe it as the heart of Iran’s centrifuge development and assembly. According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), the site includes six buildings above ground and three underground structures—two of which can hold up to 50,000 centrifuges. Iran has enriched uranium up to 60% at its Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant within Natanz. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) notes that weapons-grade uranium requires 90% enrichment, making Natanz a focal point of global concern.
Fordow lies near the religious city of Qom, concealed deep within a mountain range. Israeli intelligence once obtained internal documents revealing significant details about its layout and operations. The facility’s enrichment halls are believed to be buried 80 to 90 meters underground, making them nearly impervious to all but the most advanced U.S. bunker-busting munitions. Recent IAEA reports confirmed that Iran had also increased uranium enrichment to 60% at Fordow. With approximately 2,700 centrifuges currently installed, it remains one of Iran’s most fortified nuclear assets.
Situated in central Iran, the Isfahan facility plays a pivotal role in nuclear research and fuel production. Built with Chinese assistance in 1984, Isfahan hosts around 3,000 scientists. According to NTI, the site features three Chinese-supplied research reactors, a conversion facility, fuel production units, and laboratories. The organization also identifies it as the suspected center of Iran’s nuclear program. Isfahan’s broad capabilities and scientific workforce make it a key part of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and a strategic target in Saturday’s U.S. strikes.
At an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting, Israel’s Ambassador Danny Danon defended U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, calling them a necessary step to eliminate “the greatest existential threat facing the free world.” He accused Iran of using diplomacy as a stalling tactic while advancing its missile and uranium programs.
The Washington-based organization Human Rights Activists has reported that more than 600 people have been killed across Iran, including 380 civilians and 253 security personnel. The group, known for its detailed tracking during the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests, said the figures are based on cross-verified local reports and information from its in-country network.
Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani, in an emergency Security Council meeting, accused the US of sabotaging diplomacy and acting under Israeli pressure. He warned that Iran had repeatedly cautioned Washington against escalation, calling the airstrikes a “flagrant breach of international law” and insisting that Tehran never abandoned negotiations in the first place.
At an emergency UN Security Council meeting convened by Iran, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate end to hostilities and a return to meaningful negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. He emphasized the need for verifiable solutions, full UN inspector access, and a restoration of trust to preserve peace.
Seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers that carried out the recent strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have returned to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Witnesses saw the aircraft land in two groups on a clear, windy Sunday afternoon.
Israel’s top military official, Lt. Gen. Eyal Amir, hailed the recent US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites as a major turning point. He said the joint pressure from Israel’s ongoing operations and the U.S. strike has dealt significant damage to Iran’s nuclear program.
UN says Israeli forces are repeatedly firing on Palestinians trying to reach food aid in Gaza.
Most aid is distributed in military zones by an Israeli-backed contractor, with only limited access for UN agencies.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reports 450 deaths so far. Some victims remain missing and unreachable.
The U.S. State Department has ordered the departure of non-essential staff and family members from its embassy in Lebanon amid escalating tensions and fears of Iranian retaliation following recent American strikes.
Citing the “volatile and unpredictable security situation in the region,” the department issued the directive on Sunday, urging private U.S. citizens in Lebanon to leave using available commercial flights.
While no special evacuation flights were announced for Lebanon, similar efforts have already been undertaken in Israel, and American citizens in Iran are also being advised on exit options as regional instability deepens.
“And a bunch of these countries putting out statements condemning us, privately, they all agree with us that this needed to be done. They got to do what they got to do for their own public relations purposes. But the only people in the world that are unhappy about what happened in Iran last night is the regime in Iran,” Rubio said on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”
Speaking on CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday, Senator Marco Rubio issued a stark warning to Iran amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. He stated that while the U.S. is open to peace if the Iranian regime desires it, Tehran would face severe consequences if it chooses confrontation.
“If they want to do something else, they’re incredibly vulnerable. They can’t even protect their own airspace,” Rubio said, suggesting Iran’s defenses are weak. He also cautioned Iran against launching attacks on regional countries that host American troops, emphasizing that such actions would provoke a strong U.S. response and further destabilize the region.
An Israeli airstrike has killed three members of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, according to reports from the Islamic Republic’s semiofficial news agencies on Sunday.
The Mehr and Tasnim agencies stated that the strike occurred in Iran’s Zanjan province.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that his primary focus is on de-escalating the conflict and pursuing a negotiated solution, warning of the risk of the war spreading beyond the Middle East.
While he declined to comment on whether the U.K. would be drawn into the conflict if Iran targets U.S. bases, Starmer confirmed that Britain is moving military equipment into the region to safeguard its interests, citizens, and allies. “I’m not going to speculate about what may happen, because all of my focus is on de-escalation,” he stated.
British Airways canceled all flights on Sunday from London Heathrow to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar following U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The airline confirmed that all services to Dubai and Doha were suspended for the day. A Saturday night flight to Dubai, BA109, was diverted to Zurich after reaching Saudi Arabian airspace.
British Airways also announced it is offering flexible rebooking options for passengers scheduled to travel to either destination through Tuesday.
The Iranians can go down the path of peace or they can go down the path of this ridiculous brinksmanship of funding terrorism, of trying to build a nuclear weapon and that’s just not something the United States can accept,” Vance said.
Vance said he felt “very confident that we’ve substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon,” and it would be “many, many years” before Iran could develop a nuclear weapon.
The UAE President held phone calls with the Emir of Kuwait, the Saudi Crown Prince, and the Emir of Qatar to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East, according to the UAE state news agency.
Iran’s parliament has approved a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz, but the decision still needs to be finalized by the country’s top security body, reports Reuters, citing PRESS TV.
Pete Hegseth said “I can only confirm that there are both public and private messages being directly delivered to the Iranians in multiple channels, giving them every opportunity to come to the table”.
Hours after Iran’s top diplomat revealed that communication channels between Tehran and Washington are still active, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the same during a press conference.
“When this President speaks, the world should listen, and the US Military, we can back it up. The most powerful military the world has ever known. No other country on planet Earth could have conducted this operation, not even close…” Pete Hegseth said on Sunday.
On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. “This aggression showed that the United States is the primary instigator of the Zionist regime’s hostile actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Pezeshkian said Sunday. “Although they initially tried to deny their role, after our armed forces’ decisive and deterrent response and the Zionist regime’s clear incapacity, they were inevitably forced to enter the field themselves.”
On Sunday afternoon Explosions rocked the Iranian port city of Bushehr, according to reports from three semiofficial Iranian media outlets. The cause of the blasts remains unclear. Bushehr hosts Iran’s only nuclear power plant, operated with Russian support, though authorities have not reported any issues at the facility.
Meanwhile, separate explosions were reported in the central city of Yazd, with some sources suggesting they were the result of Israeli airstrikes targeting a power plant and a military garrison.
Israeli Air Force recently carried out an airstrike targeting two Iranian F-5 fighter jets stationed at Dezful Airport in Iran, according to an Israeli military statement.
On Sunday Russia’s Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation of the U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, denouncing them as a blatant violation of international law, the United Nations Charter, and Security Council resolutions.
In a statement posted on Telegram, the ministry warned of potential radiological risks stemming from the strikes and described the attack as a dangerous escalation that could further destabilize both regional and global security.
Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Israel is still assessing the damage from U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.
At a press briefing, he was asked if enriched material had been removed from the Fordo site before the attack, but said it was too soon to tell. He confirmed the strikes were coordinated with the Israeli military.
On Sunday French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in a message on social media that France “has learned with concern” of the U.S. military action against three nuclear sites.
Satellite images from Sunday analyzed by the Associated Press reveal visible damage to Iran’s underground Fordo nuclear facility following U.S. airstrikes. The Planet Labs imagery shows parts of the once-brown mountainside turned gray, with altered contours indicating debris displacement evidence consistent with the use of American bunker-buster bombs. Light gray smoke is also seen lingering in the area.
Answering to a question from a Russian outlet Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said he’ll travel to Moscow later on Sunday to meet with President Vladimir Putin, after the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear sites.
On Sunday, Abbas Araghchi said when speaking to journalists in Istanbul while the “door to diplomacy” should always be open, “this is not the case right now.”
Cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds told Sky News that while the U.S. did not request support and Britain was not involved in the attacks, the U.K. had been informed as a key ally though he was unaware of the exact timing.
“Although the British government has not played a role in these strikes, we have been actively preparing for all possible scenarios,” Reynolds said.
An Iranian lawmaker from Tehran stated on Sunday that the most impactful response to recent US attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities would be to target American military bases located in Saudi Arabia.
According to state media reports, the MP asserted in a social media post, “The only response that would truly hurt the US is a strike on its bases in Saudi Arabia.”
Iran’s foreign ministry has strongly condemned recent US airstrikes on its nuclear facilities, labelling them a “gross and unprecedented violation” of international law and asserting its right to defend itself against such “aggression.”
In a statement released via the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the ministry accused the United States of sabotaging diplomacy by backing Israel’s “aggressive actions” and launching “a dangerous war against Iran.”
The ministry further stated that the US “follows no ethical standards or rules” and supports what it called a genocidal, occupying regime, resorting to lawlessness and criminal actions to serve its interests.
Iran affirmed its stance to “resist with full strength” against US military aggression and to protect its national security and interests.
Airlines are continuing to avoid key parts of the Middle East following the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, according to data from FlightRadar24.
In a social media update, the flight tracking service noted that “commercial traffic in the region remains consistent with the airspace restrictions introduced last week.”
Flight maps on the platform showed that carriers are steering clear of the skies over Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel. Instead, many are opting for alternative routes—either north over the Caspian Sea or south through Egypt and Saudi Arabia—even though these paths lead to longer flight durations, increased fuel consumption, and higher crew expenses.
The rerouting comes in response to growing security concerns, including recent missile exchanges across the region.
A spokesperson for Israel’s emergency services has said initial reports show rockets and shrapnel fell in 10 locations in Israel. They included Carmel, Haifa, the Tel Aviv area and the northern coastal plain.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in response to the recent U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Labelling the airstrikes as “blatant and unlawful aggression,” the Iranian delegation urged the Council to issue a strong condemnation of the attacks.
The mission further demanded that the Security Council take “all necessary actions under the UN Charter” to ensure the U.S. is held fully accountable and does not evade justice for what it described as serious violations.
Reuters has reported explosions occurring over both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with emergency alerts sounding throughout much of Israel. At the same time, Jordan’s Public Security Directorate confirmed that air raid sirens have been triggered across all governorates in the country.
The Israeli military has confirmed detecting missile launches from Iran. It advised citizens to take shelter immediately if they receive an emergency alert.
Iran’s state-run news agency reported that residents near the Fordow nuclear site “did not notice any signs of a major explosion” following the U.S. airstrike.
“The situation in the area remained entirely normal,” the agency stated, adding that official experts would release more details soon.
While former President Trump described the operation as a “spectacular success,” there has been no independent verification of the damage.
Iranian authorities have also indicated that the enriched uranium previously stored at the underground facility had already been relocated.
Iranian MP Manan Raisi, who represents Qom—home to the Fordow nuclear facility—has downplayed the impact of the recent U.S. strike, calling the damage “superficial.”
“According to verified information, I can confirm that, despite the false claims made by the U.S. president, the Fordow site has not sustained serious damage,” Raisi said, as reported by Tasnim news agency. “Most of the harm was limited to surface-level areas, which are fully repairable.”
He also reiterated earlier reports stating there has been no leakage of radioactive material following the attacks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the recent U.S. strikes on Iran fulfilled a “promise” he made to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, referring back to Israel’s initial surprise assault over a week ago.
“In close coordination with President Trump and with full operational cooperation between the IDF and the U.S. military, American forces have now struck Iran’s three nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan,” said Netanyahu in a social media message. Notably, he is currently wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Iran reports there are “no indications of radioactive contamination” following U.S. airstrikes on its nuclear sites at Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. Stay updated with AP’s live coverage.
Gideon Saar praised the U.S. President for striking Iran’s nuclear sites, saying he had “etched his name in gold in the pages of history.”
He also commended Prime Minister Netanyahu for spearheading the operation, calling his actions a display of “remarkable leadership.”
Statements from both U.S. and Israeli officials indicate the two governments acted in close coordination—though critics argue the attacks were unprovoked.
Jerusalemite sources: Occupation forces arrest a third Al-Aqsa Mosque guard, Basem Abu Jumaa. Heavy artillery shelling targets the vicinity of the Nasser Medical Complex in the center of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.
Artillery shelling targets the cemetery area in the Batn al-Sameen neighborhood, south of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization has condemned the recent U.S. strikes on its nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, describing them as brutal and violations of international law and the NPT treaty.
It criticized the IAEA for its indifference and held the U.S. responsible, referencing President Trump’s own remarks.
The organization pledged to persist with its nuclear program despite the attacks and announced that legal measures are being pursued to protect Iran’s rights.
Iran via state media said that there is ‘no danger’ to residents after US attack on key nuclear site.
Antonio Guterres has called the U.S. strikes on Iran a “dangerous escalation,” cautioning that tensions in the Middle East could spiral rapidly.
“I am deeply concerned by the United States’ use of force against Iran today. This represents a serious escalation in an already volatile region and poses a significant threat to global peace and security,” he stated on social media.
He warned that the situation risks quickly spiraling out of control, with potentially devastating consequences for civilians, the region, and the world. Guterres urged UN Member States to step back from conflict, honor their commitments under the UN Charter, and follow international law.
“At this critical moment, it’s essential to prevent further chaos. There is no solution through military force—only diplomacy offers a way forward. Peace is our only hope,” he emphasized.
Hezam al-Asad, a member of the Yemeni group’s political bureau, delivered a short message to the U.S. through social media. “Washington will have to face the repercussions,” he warned.
Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), criticized the U.S. strikes on Iran, saying they reveal the falsehood of Trump’s “America First” promise to avoid foreign military entanglements.
“Many of us feel misled by Donald Trump. In hindsight, we should have expected this based on his first term, and tried harder to contain him—but I’m not sure what more could have been done,” said Abdi, whose group advocates for diplomacy with Iran.
“He’s now made a bold and inflammatory move. I don’t believe he fully grasps the consequences or has a strategy in place in case Iran retaliates,” he added.
“How does he plan to prevent this from becoming something extremely costly for both himself and the nation?” Abdi questioned.
“I doubt he’s truly weighed those outcomes—he’s taken a gamble, and now it’s up to Iran to respond,” he concluded.
An Israeli official has been quoted as saying that they were “in full coordination” with the US on the attack. “President Trump took a bold decision for the United States, for Israel, for all of humanity,” former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant posted on X.
Quoting a US official, Reuters reported that the B-2 bombers that moved to the Pacific island of Guam were involved in the strikes.
While addressing the nation, Trump said, “There will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days.”
He added, “Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most legal, but if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.”
Only two days ago, Trump said he would decide “within two weeks” whether the US would join Israel against Iran.
According to official figures, retaliatory strikes by Iran killed at least 25 people in Israel.
The US involvement comes after nearly 10 days of strikes by Israel that had already damaged Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. Reports quoted both the US and Israel as saying that American stealth bombers and the bunker buster bomb could destroy the sites.
Earlier, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had warned that US strikes would “result in irreparable damage for them”, even as its health ministry Saturday said more than 400 people had been killed in the Israeli strikes so far.
On Saturday, Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian had warned that there would be a “more devastating” retaliation if Israel’s bombing campaign continued. He also said Iran would not “under any circumstances” halt its nuclear program.
Trump warned that Iran could face further consequences if peace isn’t achieved soon.
“There will either be peace or a level of tragedy for Iran far worse than what we’ve seen in the past eight days,” he stated.
“Keep in mind, there are still numerous targets remaining. Tonight’s strike was the most challenging and likely the most justified. But if peace isn’t reached swiftly, we will target the rest with accuracy, speed, and expertise.”
The U.S. President expressed gratitude to the Israeli Prime Minister, highlighting their strong collaboration.
“I want to thank and commend Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu,” Trump said. “We operated as a team—maybe more effectively than any team before—and we’ve made significant progress in eliminating this terrible threat to Israel.”
As I’ve long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS
. Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I’m grateful for and salute the finest military in the world.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed late Friday that American forces carried out precision airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
