President of the United States, Donald Trump said he had “obliterated” Iran’s main nuclear sites in strikes overnight, in a major new escalation of conflict in the Middle East as Tehran vowed to reserve all options to defend itself.
In Israel, which triggered the crisis by attacking Iran’s nuclear and military sites on June 13, retaliatory Iranian missile fire appeared heavier overnight than in previous days and the health ministry said 86 people were injured.
Iranians voiced fear at the prospect of the nine-day conflict expanding. “Our future is dark. We have nowhere to go – it’s like living in a horror movie,” said Bita, 36, a teacher from the central city of Kashan before the phone line was cut.
Trump, in a televised address to the U.S. people, flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, called the strikes a “spectacular military success” that had taken out Iran’s three principal nuclear sites: Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow.
He warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it did not agree to peace.
“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, calling the U.S. strikes a “grave violation” of the U.N. charter, international law and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
“Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people,” Araqchi posted on X.After days of deliberation and long before his self-imposed two-week deadline, Trump’s decision to join Israel’s military campaign against its major rival Iran is the biggest foreign policy gamble of his two presidencies and one fraught with risks and unknowns.
The major escalation of armed conflict in the Middle East risks opening a new era of instability in the Middle East.
Trump said Iran’s future held “either peace or tragedy,” and there were many other targets that could be hit by the U.S. military. “If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.”
(Reuters)