âGod bless the Middle East, God bless Israel, and God bless America,â President Trump declared following a series of military strikes aimed at Iranian nuclear facilities.
On June 21, President Trump confirmed the United States’ military involvement in targeting Iranian nuclear sites, finally resolving the anticipation surrounding the administration’s approach to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared, “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.”
The military action ignited a wave of responses both domestically and internationally. Hereâs a breakdown of the key developments.
Iranâs Key Nuclear Sites âObliteratedâ
During a primetime address, Trump asserted that U.S. strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” the pivotal Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
âTonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,â he stated from the White House, flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Trump emphasized that the operation aimed to dismantle Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities, framing the country as the “worldâs number one state sponsor of terror.”
In a conversation recounted by Fox Newsâ Sean Hannity, Trump revealed that the strikes utilized 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs, with U.S. submarines providing support.
Trump Threatens âFar Greaterâ Attacks If No Peace
Trump warned Iran of potentially âfar greaterâ military actions if the regime failed to pursue peace.
âIran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,â he insisted. âIf they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.â
He further warned, âThere will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days.â
US Worked With Israel
Trump acknowledged the collaboration with Israel, taking a moment to express gratitude to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
âWe worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we have gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel,â Trump stated. He lauded the U.S. military’s efforts in what he described as an operation “the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades.”
âGod bless the Middle East, God bless Israel, and God bless America,â he reiterated.
Netanyahu reciprocated the appreciation, claiming that Trump’s decision to target Iran’s nuclear infrastructure would âchange history.â
âHistory will record that President Trump acted to deny the worldâs most dangerous regime the worldâs most dangerous weapons,â he added.
Iran Atomic Agency Vows to Continue Program
In response, the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization reaffirmed its commitment to advancing its nuclear program, which it labeled as a ânational industry.â
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency confirmed the strikes on the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities but claimed there were âno signs of contaminationâ or radioactive release.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on social media, asserting that Tehran âreserves all optionsâ for retaliation.
âThe United States has committed a grave violation of the U.N. Charter, international law and the NPT [non-proliferation treaty] by attacking Iranâs peaceful nuclear installations,â he stated.
While Iran maintains its stance, both Israel and the U.S. have criticized Iran’s non-compliance with international safeguards regarding its nuclear program.
âThe events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences,â Araghchi warned, declaring Iran’s readiness to defend its sovereignty in accordance with the UN Charter.
Countries including the United Nations, Chile, Venezuela, and Cuba condemned the strikes as a dangerous escalation and a breach of international law.
Prior to the strikes, Israel warned that Iran was on the brink of obtaining a nuclear weapon, while Trump suggested a timeframe of weeks to months for Iran to develop a nuclear bomb.
The IAEA indicated on June 13 that Iran had enriched Uranium-235 to 60 percent, dangerously close to the 90 percent threshold for weapons-grade material.
Shortly after the U.S. strikes, Israeli military detected missiles launched from Iran aimed at Israel, prompting alarm across the region.
Some Lawmakers Want Congressional Authorization
Reactions from U.S. lawmakers have been mixed; while some have supported Trumpâs military actions, others are calling for congressional authorization before any further military engagement.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) argued that conducting strikes without Congress’ approval constitutes a serious violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers.
âThis was unconstitutional,â echoed Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who has advocated for requiring congressional approval for military action.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) urged lawmakers to reconvene in Washington to vote on a measure he proposed with Massie aimed at preventing the U.S. from being drawn into another protracted conflict in the Middle East.
Melanie Sun contributed to this report.
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