In the early hours of Sunday, June 22, the United States executed a series of meticulously planned airstrikes on three critical Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict and thrusting America directly into the fray. Announced by President Donald Trump as a “spectacular military success,” the operation, codenamed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” aimed to dismantle Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities, which the U.S. and its allies have long viewed as a threat to global security. The strikes, carried out with stealth bombers and cruise missiles, have reshaped the Middle East’s strategic landscape while raising fears of Iranian retaliation and a wider regional war.
The operation began just after midnight Eastern Time on Saturday, June 21, when seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. These aircraft, the only U.S. planes capable of carrying the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)—a 30,000-pound “bunker-buster” bomb designed to penetrate deeply buried targets—headed eastward with minimal communications to maintain tactical surprise. A portion of the strike package flew west over the Pacific as a decoy, a deception known only to a select group of planners in Washington and Tampa. Around 5 p.m. Eastern Time, a U.S. submarine in the Central Command area launched over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles, targeting key surface infrastructure at the Isfahan nuclear site to soften defenses ahead of the main assault.
The primary target was Fordow, Iran’s heavily fortified uranium enrichment facility buried 300 feet beneath a mountain near Qom. Described by Trump as the “most difficult” and “most lethal” target, Fordow was struck with 14 MOPs dropped by the B-2s, marking the first operational use of this weapon. Natanz, Iran’s largest uranium enrichment plant, and Isfahan, a key nuclear research and production hub, were also hit, with U.S. officials reporting “extremely severe damage” to all three sites. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that Iran’s nuclear ambitions had been “obliterated,” though Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine cautioned that the full extent of the destruction was still being assessed. Satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies later revealed visible damage at Fordow, with bomb entry points, ash-covered areas, and dirt-filled tunnel entrances, though one Iranian MP disputed claims of total devastation.
President Trump announced the strikes on Truth Social shortly after their completion, declaring, “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 air space.” In a televised address from the White House at 10 p.m. Saturday, flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Hegseth, Trump hailed the operation as a historic moment for the U.S., Israel, and the world. He urged Iran to “make peace” or face further attacks, warning, “There are many targets left.” Trump also praised the U.S. military’s precision and coordination with Israel, noting that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before.”
The strikes followed days of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets, which had killed senior commanders and scientists and prompted Iranian missile barrages on Israeli cities. The U.S. action was closely coordinated with Israel, with Trump and Netanyahu speaking before and after the operation. Netanyahu, in a video statement, congratulated Trump, calling the strikes a “bold decision” that would “change history” by fulfilling his promise to destroy Iran’s nuclear program. Israeli President Isaac Herzog noted that while the nuclear program was not entirely eliminated, it had been “hit very hard” by both Israeli and U.S. attacks.
Iran’s response was swift and defiant. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the U.S. strikes as a “grave violation” of international law and the UN Charter, accusing Washington of “lawless and criminal behavior.” Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization vowed that its nuclear program would continue, with spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi asserting, “This industry has roots in our country and cannot be destroyed.” Iran launched approximately 20 ballistic missiles at Israel on Sunday morning, injuring 16 people in Tel Aviv’s Ramat Aviv neighborhood, where buildings were reduced to rubble. The Houthis, Iran’s allies in Yemen, threatened to target U.S. warships in the Red Sea, while Iran’s UN mission demanded an emergency meeting.
The international community expressed alarm. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the strikes a “dangerous escalation” and urged diplomacy, while Australia and New Zealand advocated for de-escalation. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported no increase in off-site radiation levels, and Iran’s National Center for Nuclear Safety found no contamination near the struck sites. However, the Pentagon braced for potential Iranian retaliation, with U.S. bases, embassies, and assets across the region on high alert.
In the U.S., the strikes sparked political debate. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, after speaking with Trump, relayed Israel’s gratitude and urged Iran to end the conflict, predicting Israel would not relent. Democrats, however, questioned the operation’s legality, with Senate Minority Leader arguing that no president should unilaterally escalate to war without congressional approval.
As the Middle East teeters on the brink, the U.S. strikes have upended years of diplomatic efforts to contain Iran’s nuclear program and drawn America into a conflict Trump had once vowed to avoid. With Iran vowing retaliation and the region bracing for what’s next, the world watches anxiously, wondering whether this marks a decisive blow for peace or the prelude to a broader, more devastating war.