President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday night that the United States carried out airstrikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran—Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan—in what he described as a major military success.
"We have successfully completed our strike on three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. All aircraft are now out of Iranian airspace," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that “a full payload of bombs” was dropped on the Fordo facility and that all planes have since returned to the United States.
In a televised address following the statement, Trump said: “Our goal was the destruction of Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities and to eliminate the nuclear threat posed by the world's leading state sponsor of terror.” He characterized the operation as a “spectacular military success” and claimed the “complete and total destruction” of the targeted facilities.
The strikes were carried out in coordination with Israel, confirmed both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We worked as a team—perhaps better than any team has ever worked before,” said Trump.
Netanyahu praised the U.S. president for his leadership, stating: “President Trump and I have often said: 'Peace through strength.' Strength comes first, then peace.”
“History will remember that President Trump acted to deny the most dangerous regime in the world the most dangerous weapons in the world,” Netanyahu added.
According to Reuters, B-2 stealth bombers were involved in the strikes, citing a senior White House official. Defense Department sources confirmed the use of the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), the largest non-nuclear bunker-busting bomb in the U.S. arsenal. Weighing 13,600 kg, the precision-guided MOP is capable of penetrating deep underground bunkers such as those at Fordo, which is buried beneath a mountain.
Speculation had been growing over whether the U.S. would intervene in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran that began on June 13. The strike comes just two days after Trump publicly stated he would decide on a response “within two weeks.”
Trump addressed the nation flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Fears of Escalation Rise
BBC’s North America correspondent Nomia Iqbal reported growing international concern about a potential escalation in the Middle East. In his address, Trump warned Iran: “The Middle East bully must now make peace. If they do not, future strikes will be far greater and far easier.”
According to CBS News, the U.S. had contacted Iranian officials through diplomatic channels before the operation, clarifying that the goal was not regime change but rather to cripple Iran’s nuclear program. Trump had also previously stated that he had no current intention of targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Hours before the strikes, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that direct U.S. intervention would be “very, very dangerous.”
Iranian officials have since confirmed that the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan sites were struck. “We have heard several explosions in Natanz and Isfahan. There were strikes near the nuclear facilities,” said Akbar Salehi, deputy governor for security in Isfahan Province, south of Tehran.
State TV reported that the three facilities had been evacuated prior to the attack. “Iran did not suffer a major blow because nuclear materials had already been removed,” stated Hassan Abedini, deputy political director of Iran’s state media.
Strategic Targets
Fordo, one of the primary targets, is an underground uranium enrichment facility located about 96 km south of Tehran. It reportedly consists of two main tunnels housing centrifuges, along with a network of smaller tunnels. Israel had previously urged Washington to target Fordo, as the U.S. is the only country capable of penetrating the facility’s fortified defenses.
The B-2 is the only aircraft capable of deploying the MOP, which can breach the deep concrete shielding Fordo.
In recent days, Israeli strikes had already inflicted damage on the Natanz and Isfahan facilities. According to the Israeli military, its operations disrupted the production of uranium metal, enrichment reconversion infrastructure, laboratories, and other components in Isfahan. However, part of the underground sections remained intact.
At Natanz, a key centrifuge hall was also reportedly hit by a recent Israeli strike.
“A Defining Moment”
BBC correspondent Mark Lowen, reporting from Tel Aviv, described the moment as a turning point in the conflict and in U.S.–Iran–Israel relations, with potentially vast implications for regional and global security.
There are approximately 40,000 U.S. troops stationed across the region, now likely on high alert.
On Friday, Houthi rebels backed by Iran threatened to resume attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea if the United States became directly involved in the Iran conflict. With the U.S. now clearly committed militarily, fears of Iranian retaliation against American and Israeli assets have escalated significantly.
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