Washington: The United States officially entered the Israel-Iran conflict, launching coordinated strikes on Iran's key nuclear facilities on Sunday, June 22. US President Donald Trump confirmed the military operation, calling it a "spectacular success" and warning Tehran that more strikes could follow.
The move comes after a week of deadly aerial exchanges between Israel and Iran. Here are ten major developments so far:
1. US Targets Iran’s Core Nuclear Facilities
Trump confirmed that the US military hit three of Iran’s most crucial nuclear sites: Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow. A US official told Reuters that B-2 bombers carried out the strikes, firing six bunker-busting bombs at Fordow, while 30 Tomahawk missiles were used to target the other two sites. These facilities are central to Iran’s uranium enrichment programme.
2. Extent of Damage Remains Unclear
Iran’s state-run media acknowledged the strikes, with officials confirming that part of the underground Fordow site, home to some of Iran’s most advanced centrifuges, was hit. Air defence systems in Qom were activated, but Tehran has so far avoided sharing details on casualties or infrastructure damage. Officials insisted no radioactive material was at the targeted sites.
3. Why Are B-2 Bombers So Lethal?
The operation involved B-2 Spirit stealth bombers armed with GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, 30,000-pound bombs designed to destroy deep underground targets. According to The New York Times, these aircraft flew from Missouri to Iran and back, mid-air refuelling multiple times over a 37-hour mission.
4. Trump’s Open Threat to Iran
In a blunt address, Trump warned that Sunday’s strikes were just the beginning. “If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill,” he said, branding Iran the “bully of the Middle East.”
5. Israel and US ‘Worked as a Team’
Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu post-operation. “No team has worked like this before,” Trump said. Netanyahu confirmed full coordination with Washington, signalling a deepening military alliance amid growing regional instability.
6. Iran Promises Retaliation
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and promised “everlasting consequences.” He asserted Iran’s right to self-defence under the UN Charter and said all options were on the table.
7. NASA Detected Pre-Strike Heat Signal
NASA’s satellite fire-monitoring system picked up a heat anomaly near Fordow just 30 minutes before the strike was publicly confirmed, according to The New York Times. This data offers external verification of the strike’s timing.
8. Khamenei’s Warning Reiterated
Earlier this week, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had warned that a US strike would lead to “irreparable damage” and an “all-out war.” Trump later taunted Khamenei, saying he knew his whereabouts but had “not taken him out… at least not for now.”
On Monday, Khamenei wrote on X, "The punishment continues. The Zionist enemy has made a big mistake, committed a big crime; it must be punished and it is being punished; it is being punished right now."
9. Death Toll Rises Amid Escalation
According to a US-based human rights group cited by AP, 865 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Iran so far, including over 350 civilians. The number of wounded exceeds 3,300, underlining the scale of humanitarian fallout.
10. Diplomacy on Life Support
Despite international efforts to broker peace, no diplomatic breakthrough has been achieved. The conflict intensified on June 13 when Israel launched pre-emptive strikes to "neutralise" what it claims is Iran’s weapons programme, an allegation Tehran continues to deny.
