TEL AVIV – In a landmark escalation, U.S. forces launched airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—on Sunday, effectively entering Israel’s ongoing campaign to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program .
In a televised address, President Trump declared:
“Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,”
and issued a warning of further strikes “if peace does not come quickly”
American stealth B-2 bombers reportedly deployed bunker-buster GBU-57 “Mother of All Bombs” payloads aimed at the heavily fortified Fordow site, while U.S. submarines launched approximately 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles at other installations.
Iran’s Response and Global Backlash
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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounced the strikes as a “grave violation” of both the UN Charter and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, vowing Tehran would “reserve all options”.
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The United Nations, led by Secretary-General António Guterres, called the attacks a “dangerous escalation” and urged immediate diplomacy to prevent an uncontrollable spiral into war.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the strike as a historic move:
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A range of nations—including China, Russia, Europe, UAE, Qatar, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Venezuela, and Cuba—either condemned the strikes or expressed deep concern, with many urging restraint and negotiation reuters.com.
Retaliatory Attacks
Soon after the U.S. strikes, Iranian missile salvos targeted Israel, triggering air-raid sirens in Tel Aviv. Although the scale was reduced compared to earlier barrages, substantial military and civilian damage was reported en.wikipedia.org. In response, Israel temporarily closed its airspace.
Risk of Wider War and Strategic Fallout
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Analysts warn that hitting high-value, deeply buried sites like Fordow could provoke Iran to escalate through proxy attacks, Strait of Hormuz disruptions, or even more direct military actions.
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Some experts view the strikes as President Trump’s most significant gamble yet—departing from his non-interventionist past, he now faces the risk of inadvertent entrance into an extended conflict.
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Despite President Trump avoiding ground troops, his unilateral action—without Congressional approval—has sparked domestic and international controversy .
The Way Forward: Conflict or Diplomacy?
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Western leaders, including EU officials, France, the UK, Japan, and Australia, support preventing nuclear escalation but insist solutions must lie in negotiation and treaty frameworks.
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Iran vows continuing its nuclear program, claiming minimal damage and no radioactive release at the impacted sites .
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U.S. allies have withdrawn non-essential personnel, readying for a potential extension of hostilities .
As U.S. participation marks a seismic shift in the Middle East, world leaders are urging maximum restraint to prevent the ignition of a broader war. The region faces a precarious moment, where a single misstep could have catastrophic global consequences.
