US Joins Israeli Strikes on Iran; Key Nuclear Sites Hit
News Desk/News Agencies
Islamabad: In a major escalation of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, the United States has carried out coordinated airstrikes on three of Iran’s key nuclear facilities, including the heavily fortified Fordow enrichment site.
President Donald Trump confirmed the operation, calling it a “very successful attack,” and praised American forces, adding, “Now is the time for peace.”
The strikes mark a significant turn in the regional conflict, following over a week of deadly aerial exchanges between Israel and Iran. According to US officials, B-2 stealth bombers—capable of delivering Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs)—were deployed in the operation, targeting sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Iranian officials have confirmed the strikes. Morteza Heydari, a spokesperson for Qom Province’s Crisis Management department, acknowledged that the Fordow site came under aerial attack.
Officials in Isfahan and Natanz also reported hearing explosions near their nuclear facilities. However, Iran’s state media emphasized that the sites had been evacuated earlier and contained no radioactive materials at the time of the attacks.
“There are no materials in these three nuclear sites that cause radiation,” state broadcaster IRIB quoted a senior official as saying.
Despite the confirmation of attacks, Iranian authorities have downplayed the impact, claiming that critical equipment and nuclear materials were removed beforehand.
The coordinated operation was reportedly conducted in full alignment with Israel, according to an Israeli official quoted by public broadcaster Kan. Israel has maintained that the campaign aims to eliminate the possibility of Iran developing nuclear weapons—an assertion Tehran denies, maintaining its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
The attack follows heightened tensions and failed diplomatic efforts by Western nations to de-escalate the situation. Earlier in the day, four US B-2 bombers left Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, heading toward Guam and possibly onward to Diego Garcia—US bases within striking distance of Iran.
President Trump later posted on Truth Social, “Fordow is gone,” referencing the underground nuclear facility buried deep in the mountains near Qom. He also confirmed that all American aircraft involved had safely returned.
While the Pentagon has not released an official statement, military analysts view the deployment and use of B-2 bombers as a strategic signal of deterrence and operational superiority.
As the international community watches closely, fears are growing that this latest development could ignite a broader regional conflict with global implications.
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