U.S. launches airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites: A turning point in U.S.–Iran relations

Los Angeles Times

4 days ago

On June 21, 2025 (June 22 IRST), President Donald Trump announced that U.S. military forces had conducted coordinated airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites— Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan . The attacks, which involved B‑2 stealth bombers armed with bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles , mark the first time the United States has struck nuclear infrastructure inside Iran.
The operation signifies a turning point in long-standing tensions between Iran and its regional adversaries, particularly Israel and the United States. Trump said that the mission was 'very successful and historic,' including that all U.S. aircraft returned safely and that the Fordow facility was hit with a 'full payload' .
Tensions between Iran and Israel have simmered for over four decades, beginning with Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and the regime's subsequent opposition to Israel's existence. ' For 40 years, Iran has been saying, 'Death to America,' 'Death to Israel.'' said President Trump. Over the years, this rivalry has manifested through proxy wars, cyberattacks, and regional destabilization.
During the 1980s to 2000s, Iran supported militant groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, while Israel launched targeted airstrikes on Iranian weapons shipments and personnel. In the 2010s, the conflict turned digital, with cyberwarfare incidents like the Stuxnet virus attack on Iran's enrichment facilities. More recently, in 2024 and 2025, Israeli airstrikes on Iranian infrastructure and Iran's missile retaliation brought tensions to new heights.
The U.S. strikes targeted: Fordow : A hardened underground uranium enrichment facility near Qom Natanz : Iran's primary enrichment center Isfahan : A nuclear storage and uranium conversion site
B‑2 bombers reportedly released 30,000-pound GBU‑57 bunker-buster bombs, while naval forces fired Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, condemned the strikes as 'acts of war' and vowed retaliation. The Iranian Foreign Ministry warned of 'very, very dangerous consequences,' signaling possible responses from Iran's military or regional proxies.
In Washington, reactions were sharply divided. While several Republican leaders praised Trump's decisiveness, others—on both sides of the aisle—questioned the legality of the strikes, noting the absence of congressional authorization.
Around the world, U.S. allies urged restraint. France and Germany pushed for immediate de-escalation. Portugal, Romania, and Serbia began evacuating citizens from the Middle East.
An emergency session of the UN Security Council was convened on June 22, 2025, at the UN Headquarters in New York City. The meeting was urgently called by Iran to address the escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, and to urge immediate action to prevent further regional destabilization.
As the situation develops, key questions remain regarding the potential next steps by Iran and the broader implications for regional stability. For now, the U.S.–Iran conflict has entered a new phase, with global attention focused on what may unfold in the coming days. Related