WASHINGTON. The United States has joined Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran, launching airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites in what former President Donald Trump called a “very successful attack” aimed at crippling Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
In a social media post on Saturday, Trump said the U.S. struck facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, noting that all aircraft had exited Iranian airspace safely. “A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,” he added.
The strikes mark a significant escalation, as Washington directly enters a conflict that has been intensifying since June 13, when Israel began targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites. According to Israeli and U.S. officials, only American stealth bombers equipped with a 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb can destroy deeply buried nuclear sites like Fordow.
The decision to involve U.S. forces comes amid increasing tensions and threats of retaliation from Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that American involvement “would be very, very dangerous for everyone.” The U.S. ambassador to Israel also confirmed the start of “assisted departure flights” for Americans in the region, marking the first such flights since the October 7 Hamas-led assault that ignited the Gaza conflict.
In parallel, Israel struck a centrifuge production facility in Esfahan overnight, reportedly killing three senior Iranian commanders. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks, though Israel reported minimal damage and claimed to have destroyed more than half of Iran’s launchers.
Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, Israel’s military spokesperson, said the army has been instructed to prepare for a “prolonged campaign.” The Israeli military stated that its objective remains the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile arsenal.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed the Israeli attack on the Esfahan facility, saying it was “extensively damaged,” but ruled out any off-site radioactive contamination. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but Western powers remain unconvinced, especially given its uranium enrichment levels reaching up to 60%.
On the diplomatic front, no breakthrough was reached in the recent nuclear talks in Geneva. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated Tehran’s commitment to its nuclear rights, asserting that “no war or threat” would force the country to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
The recent escalation follows the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal during Trump’s first term, which triggered Iran’s enrichment increase and restricted IAEA access. Trump and Israeli leaders have since demanded a complete halt to uranium enrichment.
As the conflict widens, Houthi rebels in Yemen have threatened to resume attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea if American involvement continues. Iran has already fired more than 450 missiles and launched over 1,000 drones toward Israel, killing at least 24 and wounding more than 1,000.
Back in Iran, civilians continue to bear the brunt of the airstrikes. At least 722 people, including 285 civilians, have been killed, according to a U.S.-based Iranian human rights organization. Hospitals in Tehran are reporting a surge in casualties as many residents flee the capital amid widespread internet blackouts.
Despite calls for de-escalation, both sides appear entrenched. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that operations would continue “for as long as it takes.” At the same time, Iran’s leadership has promised to retaliate and defend what it calls its “legitimate right” to nuclear energy.
No date has been set for future nuclear negotiations.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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