Live Updates; Breaking: United States lunches airstrikes on major Iranian nuclear sites

President Donald Trump announced Saturday evening that U.S. warplanes carried out airstrikes on three nuclear sites in Iran: Fordo, Natanz, and a facility near Isfahan.

Fordo and Natanz are Iran’s main uranium enrichment centers. The site near Isfahan is believed to store near-weapons-grade enriched uranium. The Fordo facility is located deep underground and is considered Iran’s most fortified nuclear site.

Trump said American aircraft dropped a “full payload of BOMBS” on Fordo, using advanced bunker-buster munitions. All planes reportedly exited Iranian airspace safely.

In a statement, Trump said:

“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. 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.”

This marks a major escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran. Israel reportedly struck the Natanz site earlier this week, but lacked the weapons needed to damage deeply buried targets like Fordo.

Trump had been weighing military action for days and had not committed publicly to joining the conflict until now. It remains unclear if the U.S. plans further action or views this as a one-time strike.

Iran has not officially responded as of this publication.

7:00 PM. PST 06/21/2025

President Donald Trump addressed the nation Saturday evening from the White House, just hours after U.S. military forces conducted airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites: Fordo, Natanz, and a facility near Isfahan. In his remarks, Trump confirmed that the operation was carried out with precision using advanced U.S. capabilities and stated that all aircraft returned safely. He said the strikes were designed to “stop a war, not start one,” signaling that the action was intended as a deterrent, not the beginning of a larger military campaign.

Throughout the speech, the president emphasized that the United States does not seek war with Iran and reiterated his respect for the Iranian people. However, he made clear that any retaliation against American forces, citizens, or allies would be met with what he described as “a response at levels never seen before.” Trump also warned the Iranian government against further escalation, saying the U.S. remains prepared to act again if necessary to defend national and allied interests.

The address follows a week of growing regional tensions between Israel and Iran, during which U.S. involvement remained uncertain. Trump’s decision to authorize direct military action marks a significant shift and places the United States squarely in the center of the current Middle East crisis. While the president framed the operation as a limited, targeted response, the full international and political impact of the strikes remains to be seen.

This is a developing story. More updates will follow.