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Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
US hits 3 Iranian nuclear sites, Trump says, plunging America into conflict
The United States struck three nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday, plunging the U.S. into a pitched battle that has been waged over the past several days between Israel and Iran. The full ramifications of the U.S. action, announced by President Donald Trump as "very successful" were not clear. Trump and his closest advisers had been weighing for days how to proceed, debating the costs of involvement and inaction. Democrats and some Republicans had already criticized the strike just minutes after it was announced. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon on Sunday morning that the attack "devastated" and "obliterated" the Iranian nuclear program, describing the operation -- named "Midnight Hammer" -- as "bold and brilliant." He added of Trump, "When this president speaks, the world should listen." Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine also took part in the briefing, telling reporters that the seven B-2 bombers involved conducted the longest flight involving the B-2 fleet since 2001, refueling multiple times in-flight and linking up with escort fighter aircraft on their way east. The bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, crossing the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea to reach the Middle East. A total of 14 "bunker-buster" bombs known as MOPs -- Massive Ordnance Penetrators -- were dropped on the three sites at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, with the first two munitions dropped at 2 a.m., Caine said. The attack also involved a U.S. submarine that launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles at what Caine called "key surface infrastructure targets" at Isfahan. Iran did not deploy fighters or surface-to-air missiles during the mission, Caine said. "Throughout the mission, we maintained the element of surprise," Caine said. 'We are currently unaware of any shots fired at the U.S. strike package on the way in," he added. The chairman said the operation included deception and suppression tactics to ensure the safety of the U.S. aircraft. This included the use of decoys, "high speed suppression weapons" and "preemptive suppressing fires," he said. More than 125 aircraft participated in the mission. Caine said of extent of the damage caused by the U.S. strike, 'I know that battle damage is of great interest. Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction." The 30,000-pound MOPs had never before been used in combat, but were expected to be able to tunnel 200 feet into the ground before exploding, a U.S. official said. The MOPs had been tested and were believed necessary to access underground nuclear sites like those at Fordo. Hours earlier, sources told ABC News that B-2 stealth bombers, the only planes capable of carrying the MOP "bunker-buster" bombs, were headed to Guam. Caine said Sunday that those aircraft flew west to Guam as part of the Pentagon's deception effort. According to an Israeli official, the U.S. notified Israel ahead of the strike. Sources said House Speaker Mike Johnson was also briefed ahead of time. But other sources said that the full "Gang of Eight,", including key Democrats, was not briefed until after the strikes. Some Democrats reacted harshly to the precarious military action in the volatile region, with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calling it "ground for impeachment" and that Trump was in in "grave violation of the Constitution" by not seeking congressional authorization. MORE: Israel-Iran live updates: Trump announces attack on Iranian nuclear sites Trump first announced the strikes on Truth Social, a move that surprised many given his statement on Friday that there was a "substantial chance" of negotiations. "A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow," Trump posted on Truth Social. "All planes are safely on their way home." "There is not another military in the World that could have done this," he added. "NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter." Trump, who spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according a senior administration official, briefly addressed the nation. "Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity, and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success," Trump said in his address. The president said that Iran's key uranium enrichment sites were "completely and totally obliterated." And he warned Iran that it must now "make peace." "If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier," Trump said. Many targets inside Iran remain, Trump said. "But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill." The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization condemned the strikes as "a heinous act in contradiction with the international law, especially the NPT." "This invasion occurred in violation of the international law, unfortunately amid indifference, and even companionship, of the IAEA," the organization added. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post to X in the early hours of Sunday that the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites were "outrageous and will have everlasting consequences." "In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest and people," he added. Israel and Iran have been exchanging missile barrages since Israel launched a preemptive strike against Iran's nuclear program. Israeli officials said they felt Iran was getting too close to being able to produce a nuclear weapon. Israel's operation, "Rising Lion," came after Israeli officials felt that Iran had enough nuclear material for several bombs, according to the Israel Defense Forces and an Israeli official familiar with the operation. In the initial preemptive attack, Israel hit the same three sites targeted by the U.S. Several top Iranian nuclear scientists and the top general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in the operation, according to Iran. In the wake of the Israeli strike on June 13, the two countries exchanged strikes daily, and Trump weighed whether or not to get involved. The U.S. was the only country with the plane -- the B-2 -- capable of carrying the MOP that could penetrate the mountain under which the Fordo centrifuge operation was hidden. On Friday, Trump, who has long criticized U.S. involvement in overseas wars, said in a statement read by press secretary Karoline Leavitt that there was a "substantial chance" of negotiations. Trump gave the two-week time frame hoping Iran would "come to their senses." The White House said last week they felt that Iran had all of the materials it needed for a nuclear weapon and could produce one in a "couple of weeks." In March, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified before Congress that Iran was not "building" a nuclear bomb. The move, which many feared would draw the U.S. into a widening conflict, came just days after Trump said that he would make a decision about hitting Iran within two weeks. The strikes sparked a range of reaction from American leaders. House Speaker Mike Johnson lauded the move. "The military operations in Iran should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says," Johnson wrote on X. "The President gave Iran's leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement," he continued. MORE: Transcript: President Donald Trump addresses nation after US strikes on Iran Similarly, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in a statement that Iran "has rejected all diplomatic pathways to peace." "The mullahs' misguided pursuit of nuclear weapons must be stopped," said Thune. "As we take action tonight to ensure a nuclear weapon remains out of reach for Iran, I stand with President Trump and pray for the American troops and personnel in harm's way." Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said, "Trump made the courageous and correct decision to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat." But Republican Thomas Massie wrote on X, "This is not Constitutional." Democrats, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, joined the chorus. "Not only is this news that I've heard this second alarming -- all of you have just heard -- but it is so grossly unconstitutional," Sanders said at an event in Oklahoma. "All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right," Sanders told the crowd at an event in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Many within Trump's own party were opposed to striking Iran and feared the consequences, including prominent MAGA podcaster and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. MORE: MAGA star Steve Bannon plays outsized role in Trump's Iran decision: Sources House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that Trump "misled" the country. "President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East," Jeffries said in a statement. In the wake of the action, the NYPD deployed officers to sensitive locations and Israel tightened rules for public gatherings. The Center for Internet Security, a nonpartisan think tank, in an assessment to law enforcement Friday, said, "Tehran is likely to leverage a combination of direct, proxy, and irregular/inspired forces to conduct physical, cyber, or terrorist attacks against U.S. interests both at home and abroad." The assessment said that in the wake of Israeli strikes, Iran would rely on "crude or escalatory tactics" and that the likelihood would increase with U.S. involvement. ABC News' Josh Margolin contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Ex-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calls US strikes on Iran a ‘shot in the arm' for American credibility
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States and Israel's strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities are a significant moment for the Middle East and a sign of bolstered American credibility on the global stage. Rice joined 'Special Report' on Thursday after the United States struck three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, praising the American military and Israeli forces for their accomplishments. 'We will eventually know precisely how much the Iranian program was damaged, but I think all of the evidence is that it was substantially, significantly damaged to the place that, for a while at least, it will be hard to build a nuclear weapon,' she said. Iran's Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites were hit early Sunday morning by US B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles as part of Operation Midnight Hammer. The B-2 bombers flew for 37 hours non-stop from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to drop 12 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators on Fordow and two on Natanz. 4 A poster of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is displayed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hold a news conference at the Pentagon on June 26, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. Getty Images More than two dozen cruise missiles were also launched at Isfahan from a US submarine. Top Trump administration officials have maintained the 'obliteration' of Iran's nuclear program in the days following the strikes despite questions regarding the whereabouts of the Islamic Republic's highly enriched uranium. 'President Trump directed the most complex and secretive military operation in history. And it was a resounding success, resulting in a ceasefire agreement and the end of the 12 Day War,' said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a Thursday press briefing at the Pentagon. 4 Ex-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Fox News 4 President Donald Trump gestures after arriving on Air Force One, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. AP 'There's been a lot of discussion about what happened and what didn't happen. Step back for a second. Because of decisive military action, President Trump created the conditions to end the war, decimating, choose your word, obliterating, destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities.' Rice told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier that she believes the US strikes set Iran's nuclear program back significantly. She criticized a leaked, 'low-confidence' preliminary intelligence assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency — which claimed President Donald Trump's strikes did not destroy key components of Iran's nuclear facilities — as 'irresponsible.' 4 The Pentagon released jaw-dropping footage showcasing how the 30,000-pound heavy-duty bunker buster bombs that were used against Iran successfully demolished fortified targets deep underground. Department of Defense 'When you look at what the Israelis were able to do to Hezbollah, what they were able to do to Hamas — the significant efforts against the Iranian military establishment, against scientists. This really is a now-crippled Iran, and a crippled Iran is good for the region,' the Stanford professor explained. The Trump administration is pushing for diplomatic talks with the Iranians following Operation Midnight Hammer, but Rice argued she has no doubts that the Iranian regime isn't interested in peace, given its 'legitimacy' is based on destroying Israel. 'We've had 46 years of the Iranians destabilizing the region, killing Americans. We've had 46 years of their proxies holding terror against Israel, against Iraq, against the people of the Middle East. So, no, they don't want peace,' she said. The former Bush official added that the US strikes were a 'shot in the arm for American credibility' on the global stage following former President Joe Biden's 'disastrous' withdrawal from Afghanistan. 'Credibility is not something that you establish one day and then you sort of dial it in and say it's done. We have to keep establishing that the United States is going to try and shape the international system, not just be a victim of it,' Rice said. 'But what's happened in the last couple of days is very, very good for American credibility.'
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Trump reveals what mystery trucks at nuke site were REALLY doing before blitz… destroying claims Iran rushed uranium out
URANIUM DELIRIUM Trump reveals what mystery trucks at nuke site were REALLY doing before blitz… destroying claims Iran rushed uranium out DONALD Trump has revealed what the mystery trucks at Iran's Fordow nuke plant were doing there before he blitzed the base. Satellite pictures captured the lorries at the underground bunker complex just hours before the US hammered it with B-2 stealth bombers in the "historically successful" Operation Midnight Hammer. 4 The Fordow plant before and after the the US bombed the site Credit: Reuters 4 The moment the missile hit the earth in the test footage 4 Trucks at the plant on June 19 - days before the US bombed it Credit: Getty 4 Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine give a briefing on Operation Midnight Hammer Credit: Getty Some had speculated online those workers had been trying to remove the enriched uranium from the base. But Trump has posted on social media after a Pentagon briefing today and said the trucks were concrete workers. Iranian workers had desperately tried to cover the vents of the complex in concrete in the hours before the US bombed. The bunker buster bombs hit their targets just hours later and flew down the shafts and obliterated the facility. Trump said: "The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. "Nothing was taken out of facility. Would take too long, too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!" Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed the Iranian's desperate attempts during the briefing held with Dan "Raizin" Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Caine talked through previously unseen footage of the 30,000lb GBU-57 "bunker buster" weapon being tested. One of the bombs can be seen in slo-mo hitting a dirt target, travelling through a thick layer of earth, and then exploding in a cavity below it in the new footage. The footage came as part of the administration's efforts to prove Operation Midnight Hammer blitz on Fordow "obliterated" the plant. Caine also revealed information about the planning for the mission including that one person in the Defence Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) had been solely studying the underground bunker complex for 15 years. That person, whose identity is classified, had effectively been able give a design of the base for the Air Force to then design a mission around. Caine said that the 30,000lb bombs had been designed with Iran's nuclear program in mind and from studying Fordow. He said: "The weapons were designed, planned, and delivered to achieve the objections in the mission space." Developing the bomb had, at one point, been using the most supercomputer hours in the United States. Caine said he didn't have intelligence on the damage, but could confirm the bombs had released properly, hit their target, and exploded. One of the pilots told Caine after the mission: "This is the brightest explosion I have ever seen, it literally looked like daylight". The Pentagon briefing on the operation came just hours after Iran's fanatical supreme leader broke his silence after not being seen in a week. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, claimed victory over Israel and America despite his country being hammered in the "12 Day War". Khamenei is hiding away in a bunker deep below ground despite the ceasefire as he fears being assassinated by secret agents, the New York Times reports. The supreme leader was seen in a video sitting in front of the same brown curtain - presumably still cowardly hiding in his bunker - as he had last week. On Israel, he ludicrously claimed Iran had almost crushed the country and the government in Tel Aviv was on the verge of collapse. That's despite the IDF controlling the skies over Tehran, assassinating dozens of top generals and nuclear scientists, and destroying dozens of valuable missile batteries in just 12 days of fighting. On America, Khamenei claimed to have given the country a "severe slap" to its face and that it had "gained nothing" from the attack on Iran's nuke plants. The Ayatollah said: 'The American regime entered a direct war because it felt that if it did not, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. "However, it gained no achievements from this war. 'Here, too, the Islamic Republic emerged victorious, and in return, the Islamic Republic delivered a severe slap to America's face.' Khamenei also bizarrely claimed his rockets had hit the American's Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, despite his forces giving advanced warning so the rockets could be all shot down. The supreme leader was last seen a week ago in a video message, but it's two weeks since he appeared to his people in the flesh. Stay up to date with the latest on Israel vs Iran with The Sun's live blog below...
Japan Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
No known intelligence that Iran moved uranium, U.S. defense chief says
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, left, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine, speak during a press conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on Thursday. By Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart and Patricia Zengerle U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said he was unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved any of its highly enriched uranium to shield it from U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear program during the weekend. U.S. military bombers carried out strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday local time using more than a dozen 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs. The results of the strikes are being closely watched to see how far they may have set back Iran's nuclear program. "I'm not aware of any intelligence that I've reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be, moved or otherwise," Hegseth told an often fiery news conference. U.S. President Donald Trump, who watched the exchange with reporters, echoed his defense secretary, saying it would have taken too long to remove anything. "The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. Nothing was taken out of (the) facility," Trump wrote on his social media platform, without providing evidence. Several experts have cautioned that Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade highly enriched uranium out of the deeply buried Fordow site before the strikes, and could be hiding it in locations unknown to Israel, the U.S. and U.N. nuclear inspectors. They noted satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showing "unusual activity" at Fordow on Thursday and Friday, with a long line of vehicles waiting outside an entrance to the facility. A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Sunday most of the 60% highly enriched uranium had been moved to an undisclosed location before the attack. WHEREABOUTS OF URANIUM The Financial Times, citing European intelligence assessments, reported that Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile remains largely intact since it was not concentrated at Fordow. Hegseth's comments denying such claims came at the news briefing where he also accused journalists of downplaying the success of the U.S. strikes following a leaked preliminary assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency suggesting they may have only set back Iran by months. He said the assessment was low confidence, and, citing comments from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, said it had been overtaken by intelligence showing Iran's nuclear program was severely damaged and would take years to rebuild. Ratcliffe, Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held a classified briefing on the strikes on Thursday for all 100 members of the U.S. Senate. Tulsi Gabbard, who normally would conduct such briefings as director of national intelligence, was not scheduled to participate. Trump said last week that she was wrong in suggesting there was no evidence Iran was building a nuclear weapon. The Senate briefing had been scheduled for Tuesday, but was postponed. Senators are expected to vote this week on a resolution that would require congressional approval for strikes against Iran, although the measure is not expected to be enacted. At the Pentagon news conference, Hegseth described the strikes as "historically successful." His comments came after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday Iran would respond to any future U.S. attack by striking American military bases in the Middle East. Khamenei claimed victory after 12 days of war, and promised Iran would not surrender despite Trump's calls. MEDIA 'HATRED' During the news conference, Hegseth criticized the media, without evidence, for having an anti-Trump bias. "It's in your DNA and in your blood to cheer against Trump because you want him not to be successful so bad," Hegseth said. "There are so many aspects of what our brave men and women did that ... because of the hatred of this press corps, are undermined," he said. Trump praised Hegseth's news conference as: "One of the greatest, most professional, and most 'confirming' News Conferences I have ever seen!" On X, Hegseth thanked Trump for his praise. During the press conference, Caine, the top U.S. general largely stuck to technical details, outlining the history of the bunker-busting bombs used. Caine showed a video testing the bombs on a bunker like the ones struck on Sunday. Caine declined to provide his own assessment of the strike and deferred to the intelligence community. He denied being under any pressure to change his assessment to present a more optimistic view of the U.S. strikes. He also said he would not change his assessment due to politics. Uniformed military officials are supposed to remain apolitical and provide their best military advice. "I've never been pressured by the president or the secretary to do anything other than tell them exactly what I'm thinking, and that's exactly what I've done," he said. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
No known intelligence that Iran moved uranium, US defense chief says
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine, speak during a press conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., June 26, 2025. REUTERS/Idrees Ali WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said he was unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved any of its highly enriched uranium to shield it from U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear program over the weekend. "I'm not aware of any intelligence that I've reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be, moved or otherwise," Hegseth said. After the strikes, several experts also cautioned that Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade highly enriched uranium out of Fordow before the strike early Sunday morning and could be hiding it and other nuclear components in locations unknown to Israel, the U.S. and U.N. nuclear inspectors. They noted satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showing "unusual activity" at Fordow on Thursday and Friday, with a long line of vehicles waiting outside an entrance to the facility. A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Sunday most of the near weapons-grade 60% highly enriched uranium had been moved to an undisclosed location before the U.S. attack. Hegseth's comments denying those claims came at a news briefing where he accused the media of downplaying the success of U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear program following a leaked, preliminary assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency suggesting they may have only set back Iran by months. Hegseth said the assessment was low confidence, and, citing comments from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, said it had been overtaken by intelligence showing Iran's nuclear program was severely damaged by recent U.S. strikes, and that it would take years to rebuild. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
