American President Donald Trump has announced that U.S. fighter jets carried out airstrikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran.
Mr. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, a development that may further inflame the volatile situation between the two nations.
Mr. Trump wrote, “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran’s airspace. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.”
The American leader praised the efforts of the U.S. military and expressed hope for a shift toward peace.
“Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. Now is the time for peace! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Mr. Trump said.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has yet to respond publicly to the U.S. airstrikes. However, Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization denounced the attacks and vowed to press on with the country’s nuclear efforts.
World leaders have begun responding to the strikes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a pre-recorded message, said, “Congratulations, President Trump. Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history… History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons.”
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also reacted, expressing deep concern over the U.S. use of force against Iran.
He stated, “This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security. There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world. I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law. At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters also weighed in, saying in a statement, “We acknowledge developments in the last 24 hours, including President Trump’s announcement of US strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran. Ongoing military action in the Middle East is extremely worrying, and it is critical further escalation is avoided. New Zealand strongly supports efforts towards diplomacy. We urge all parties to return to talks. Diplomacy will deliver a more enduring resolution than further military action.”
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the strikes in a post on X, saying, “We strongly condemn the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, which constitutes a dangerous escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. The aggression seriously violates the UN Charter and international law and plunges humanity into a crisis with irreversible consequences.”