President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that the United States had launched attacks on Iran, targeting three nuclear sites located in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump wrote on social media Saturday.
“All planes are now outside of Iranian airspace. A full payload of bombs was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,” he continued.
“All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American warriors. There is no other military in the world that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!” the president added.
Trump said he would address the nation at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, several US Air Force B-2 stealth bombers departed from Missouri, heading west over the Pacific Ocean. These massive aircraft are among the few in the U.S. arsenal capable of carrying the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), a 30,000-pound bomb often referred to as the “bunker buster.”
Saturday’s action puts the United States in direct armed conflict with Iran, representing a major escalation in its involvement with Israel’s efforts to cripple Tehran’s nuclear program and potentially topple its regime.
The decision also re-engages the US military in active warfare in the Middle East—despite Trump’s repeated promises during his second term to avoid such entanglements.
This marks a sharp reversal from less than 48 hours prior, when Trump stated the United States would wait “two weeks” to determine whether the conflict between Israel and Iran could be resolved diplomatically.
“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Trump said Thursday in a statement issued by the White House.
Behind the scenes, the Trump administration had been attempting to negotiate with Iran over its nuclear programme. Reports suggest that Trump had, in recent months, urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay any potential strike.
That diplomatic avenue now appears to be closed. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently warned that “any American military entry will undoubtedly be met with irreparable damage.”
“If they enter militarily, they will face harm that they cannot recover from,” he said in a statement broadcast on Iranian state television.
Following the US strikes, it remained unclear how Iran might choose to retaliate. One possible move with serious global economic consequences could be Tehran deploying landmines in the Strait of Hormuz, said Helima Croft, head of global commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets.
The narrow strait between Iran and Oman is a critical passageway for roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply, transported by tanker ships. Landmines in the area would effectively shut down the strait, as ships would be unable to determine where it was safe to pass.
“We’re already getting reports that Iran is jamming ship transponders very, very aggressively,” Croft said on CNBC’s Fast Money on Wednesday.
QatarEnergy and the Greek Shipping Ministry have reportedly already advised their vessels to avoid the strait whenever possible, Croft noted. More such alerts are expected in the wake of Saturday’s US attack on Iranian sites. (CNBC)
