Trump: US dropped bombs on Iran's Fordow, Natanz, Isfahan nuclear sites

WASHINGTON — The US military entered the Israel-Iran war on Saturday by striking three Iranian nuclear sites, marking an unprecedented escalation between Washington and Tehran.

In a Saturday evening post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump wrote, "We have completed our very successful attack on three nuclear sites in Iran including Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran airspace."

"A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow" he wrote, adding, "NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE."

Shortly after the strikes, the Israeli military reported detecting waves of missiles launched from Iran and urged civilians to seek shelter. Air defense systems were activated, and the military later issued all-clear notices in several areas while search and rescue teams responded to impact sites.

B-2 stealth bombers that departed the United States earlier Saturday were involved in the strikes in Iran, a US official confirmed to Al-Monitor. 

The New York Times, citing a US official, reported that six B-2s dropped around a dozen 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs on the heavily fortified Fordow facility, while one B-2 also struck Natanz with two of the same munitions. The Times also reported that Navy submarines launched 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles targeting the Natanz and Esfahan sites.

There was no indication that US ground troops took part in the attack. 

"THIS IS AN HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD," Trump wrote in a follow-up post.

In an address to the nation Saturday night, he said, "Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity." He called the strikes a "spectacular success" and added that "Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.” 

He said, “I want to congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team,” praising the US military for "an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades." 

Trump further threatened the Islamic Republic: "There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days," adding that there "are many targets left." 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff USAF Gen. Dan Caine will give a press conference Sunday at 8:00 a.m. ET, the president said. 

A US official said on condition of anonymity that no more strikes were expected, suggesting that the US focus is now on force protection. 

There was no immediate confirmation of a battle damage assessment from the Pentagon. A spokesperson for the Department of Defense referred Al-Monitor to the president's statement. 

A US official later told Al-Monitor that all US military units involved in the operation made it out of the area safely with no casualties. 

Meanwhile, Morteza Haidari, spokesperson for Qom province's crisis management administration, said that "part of the perimeter of the Fordow nuclear site was subjected to an aerial attack by the enemy," Iran's semi-official news outlet Tasnim reported. Haidari wrote at 8:50 p.m. ET (4:20 a.m. Sunday local time) that air defenses in the area were activated and that the incident occurred "hours ago." 

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said in a statement later Sunday morning Tehran time that the Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites were “subjected to a savage assault, in violation of international law.”

The organization said that Iran would continue its nuclear program.

“The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran assures the great nation of Iran that, despite the malicious plots of enemies, it will not allow the path of development in this national industry — achieved through the blood of nuclear martyrs — to be halted,” read the statement.

Israel's state broadcaster Kan reported early Sunday morning local time that Israel and the United States coordinated closely before the attack. 

Al-Monitor's Ben Caspit reported from Tel Aviv that Trump spoke with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prior to the attack, while Israeli media subsequently reported that the leaders also spoke after the strikes. 

Netanyahu said in a video statement early Sunday morning local time that “President Trump and I often say: ‘Peace through strength.’ First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”

The Fordow nuclear site has emerged as a key flashpoint in Israel’s war with Iran. The facility, one of Tehran’s most critical and secretive uranium enrichment sites, is buried deep underground, making it difficult for the Israeli air force to inflict significant damage without US support. The United States has the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 30,000-pound bunker-busting bomb capable of penetrating up to 200 feet (61 meters) underground.

Earlier Saturday, the State Department organized two evacuation flights out of Tel Aviv to Athens carrying approximately 70 American citizens, their immediate family members and lawful permanent residents, according to a State Department official.

The US strikes come just over a week after Israel started a military campaign inside Iran on June 13. Trump recently called for Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” and for Tehran to give up its five-decade-old nuclear program. 

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that the Islamic Republic will not cave to the United States' demand that it abandon its nuclear enrichment program, and he warned that any US military intervention will have grave consequences.

There are an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 US military personnel in the region, many of them within range of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal.

Israeli strikes have targeted several cities, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, nuclear scientists, as well as energy and nuclear facilities. Iran responded by launching hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel. At least 430 Iranians and 25 Israelis have been killed since the war started. 

This is a developing story and has been updated since publication.