US hits 3 nuclear facilities in Iran Explained: What we know up to now

Just two days after Donald Trump mentioned a two-week period for Washington to determine its response to the Israel-Iran conflict, the US targeted three nuclear sites in Iran in “a highly successful attack” on Saturday night.

Announcing the strikes on social media platform Truth Social, Trump said: “A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. 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.”

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran confirmed the attacks.

The US launched strikes on three crucial nuclear facilities in Iran — Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow — as it collaborated with Israel in its assault on Iran. The three locations are vital to Iran’s contentious nuclear program, which the US, Israel, and several other nations regard as a danger.  Natanz, Iran’s primary enrichment site, reached 60% uranium purity before damage from Israeli strikes. Fordow, underground and heavily defended, is smaller than Natanz. Isfahan, with Chinese reactors, hosts thousands of nuclear scientists.

US troops deployed six B-2 bombers to release 12 bunker-buster bombs on Fordow, according to CNN. Navy submarines launched 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Natanz and Isfahan, and a B2 bombed Natanz with two bunker busters, a US official informed CNN.

The B-2 stealth bombers carry the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 30,000-pound bomb specifically engineered to penetrate and destroy heavily fortified underground installations. This kind of bomb is exclusive to the US military stockpile and is regarded as the sole weapon able to accurately strike Iran’s most secure nuclear sites.

The deadlock in the nuclear discussions led Trump to release a statement last week warning Iran that it cannot possess a nuclear weapon and that it ought to have agreed to the nuclear “deal” with the U.S. Iran insisted that it would not negotiate the future trajectory of its nuclear program while engaged in conflict with Israel.

Amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, Trump stated on Thursday that Iran will have two weeks to engage in meaningful negotiations before an assault occurs. The two-week period was reduced to just two days when the US struck Iran’s facilities on Saturday night.

For a long time, the US has opposed Iran having a nuclear weapon and was engaged in negotiations with the nation to reach a nuclear agreement when Israel struck Iran on June 13, prompting Iran’s retaliation. While Iran asserts that its nuclear program is intended only for peaceful aims, Trump and Israeli officials feared that Iran might be capable of creating a nuclear weapon, presenting a significant threat.

The IAEA Board of Governors reprimanded Iran for the first time in two decades last week due to its lack of cooperation with inspectors. It took place during discussions between the US and Iran regarding the lifting of economic sanctions on Iran in return for diminishing or halting uranium enrichment.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi termed  the US strikes on Iran a “grave violation” of the international law, UN Charter, and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Warning of “everlasting” consequences of the “outrageous” events, Araghchi said: “Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior. In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”