President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States has bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, directly involving the U.S. in Israel’s ongoing conflict with Tehran.
In a Truth Social post and a subsequent televised address from the White House, Trump declared, “Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success.” He added that “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” and noted that a “full payload of BOMBS” was used on the primary Fordow site.
While the full extent of the damage and its impact on Tehran’s nuclear program remain to be seen, these strikes represent the most significant U.S. military action against Iran in modern history, poised to define Trump’s second term. Trump confirmed all U.S. planes returned safely.
Despite campaigning on a promise to avoid foreign wars, Trump’s decision follows weeks of mixed signals. He had previously stated he would give diplomacy two weeks to work before deciding on military action. On Saturday, however, standing alongside Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump affirmed a “team” effort with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they’ve “gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel.” He warned Iran of more strikes if “peace does not come quickly.”
The strikes have largely garnered support from Republican skeptics of U.S. military intervention, despite initial internal debate within the “America First” movement.
The U.S. has significantly increased its military presence in the region over the past two weeks, including new squadrons of fighter jets and the deployment of destroyers. A second aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, is en route, with a third potentially to follow. Pentagon officials had expressed concerns about the readiness of forces tied down by open-ended deployments, suggesting a quick decision on strikes might have been preferred to avoid prolonged stationing.
With roughly 40,000 U.S. troops in the Middle East, including 2,500 in neighboring Iraq, concerns now shift to protecting American personnel as the administration anticipates Iran’s response. The Fordow enrichment facility, buried deep within a mountain, notably requires the U.S.’s 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, which only American B-2 stealth bombers can carry.
Experts warn that Iran’s reaction will dictate the next phase. Jonathan Panikoff of the Atlantic Council suggested that Iran’s response, whether proportional or not, could “quickly lead to an escalatory spiral.” Bilal Saab, a former Pentagon official, noted that failed European diplomatic efforts likely led Trump to resort to the military option. “Now we wait and ideally have planned for Iranian retaliation,” Saab said, emphasizing that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, will ultimately decide whether to “back down or fight.”
However, not all are in agreement. Jon Hoffman of the libertarian Cato Institute argued that U.S. involvement would bring “disaster,” labeling it “America last,” and suggesting Israel’s initial strikes were a “smokescreen” to draw the U.S. into the conflict. Dana Stroul, a former Pentagon official, underscored the significance, noting that previous administrations avoided this military option, but Trump “has turned this risk calculation on its head.”
