The U.S. military struck three sites in Iran early Sunday, inserting itself into 鈥檚 effort to decapitating the country鈥檚 nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran鈥檚 threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict.
The decision to directly involve the U.S. comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that have moved to systematically eradicate the country鈥檚 air defenses and offensive missile capabilities, while damaging its nuclear enrichment facilities. But U.S. and Israeli officials have said that American stealth bombers and a 30,000-lb. bunker buster bomb they alone can carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily-fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear program buried deep underground.
was the first to disclose the strikes. There was no immediate acknowledgment from the Iranian government. Iran鈥檚 state-run IRNA news agency reported that attacks targeted the country鈥檚 Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites. The agency did not elaborate.
Here is the latest:
Israeli officials lauded the strikes
Israeli officials lauded the strikes in sweeping and dramatic language. Israel鈥檚 president, Isaac Herzog, thanked Trump and said the strikes marked a 鈥渄ecisive moment between the axis of terror and evil and the axis of hope.鈥�
Israel鈥檚 defense minister congratulated Trump on what he described as a 鈥渉istoric decision.鈥�
US steps up efforts to evacuate citizens from Israel
The U.S. is stepping up evacuation flights for American citizens from Israel to Europe and continuing to draw down its staff at diplomatic missions in Iraq as fears of Iranian retaliation again U.S. interests in the Middle East grow.
Even before those airstrikes were announced by President Donald Trump on Saturday evening in Washington, the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem announced the start of evacuation flights for American civilians from Israel.
Sixty-seven American citizens left Israel on two government flights bound for Athens, Greece on Saturday and four more evacuation flights to Athens were planned for Sunday, according to an internal State Department document seen by The Associated Press.
In addition to the flights, a cruise ship carrying more than 1,000 American citizens, including several hundred Jewish youngsters who had been visiting Israel on an organized tour, arrived in Cyprus, according to the document.
鈥� Matthew Lee
Israel closes airspace in wake of US attacks
Israel鈥檚 Airport Authority announced it was closing the country鈥檚 airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.
The agency said it was shutting down air traffic 鈥渄ue to recent developments鈥� and did not say for how long.
Iran says 鈥榥o signs of contamination鈥� after US strikes nuclear facilities
Iran said early Sunday there were 鈥渘o signs of contamination鈥� at its nuclear sites at Isfahan, Fordo and Natanz after U.S. airstrikes targeted the facilities.
Iranian state media quoted the country鈥檚 National Nuclear Safety System Center, which published a statement saying its radiation detectors had recorded no radioactive release after the strikes.
鈥淭here is no danger to the residents living around the aforementioned sites,鈥� the statement added.
Earlier Israeli airstrikes on nuclear sites similarly have caused no recorded release of radioactive material into the environment around the facilities, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said.
Strikes used 鈥榖unker buster鈥� bombs and cruise missiles
The U.S. military used 鈥渂unker-buster鈥� bombs in its attack on Iran鈥檚 Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, which is built deep into a mountain, a U.S. official said. That official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.
The 30,000-pound known as the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to penetrate underground and then explode. Saturday鈥檚 strikes were the first time it has been used in combat.
U.S. submarines also participated in the attacks in Iran, launching about 30 Tomahawk land attack missiles, according to another U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.
It was not clear what those missiles were aimed at. Two Iranian nuclear sites besides Fordo were attacked, Isfahan and Natanz.
鈥� Lolita C. Baldor
Trump called Netanyahu after strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video that Trump called him after the strikes.
鈥淚t was a very warm conversation, very emotional,鈥� Netanyahu said.
Speaking in Hebrew, he called Trump a friend of Israel like no one before him.
鈥淚n my name, and on behalf of all citizens of Israel and on behalf of the entire Jewish world, I thank him from the bottom of my heart.鈥�
Quiet outside the White House as Trump describes Iran strikes
After Trump spoke to the country about the bombing in Iran, the White House had an eerie calm.
There was darkness outside the West Wing, other than bright TV crew lights and yellow lights from the nearby Eisenhower Executive Office Building overlooking the White House.
A siren rang in the background in city traffic that continued without pausing for the historic moment.
Trump鈥檚 speech came on in the overhead speakers in the White House press area, only for his voice to give way to a sudden silence after he thanked God.
Trump warns Iran 鈥榯here are many targets left鈥�
U.S. President Donald Trump warned that he will not hesitate to strike other targets in Iran if peace does not come quickly in the Middle East.
"There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,鈥� he said.
Trump said that while the nuclear facilities struck by the U.S. on Saturday were the most 鈥渓ethal,鈥� 鈥渢here are many targets left.鈥�
鈥淚f peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill,鈥� he added.
Trump says he worked 鈥榓s a team鈥� with Israel鈥檚 prime minister to strike Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump said he worked 鈥渁s a team鈥� with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the collaboration was 鈥減erhaps鈥� like 鈥渘o team has worked before.鈥�
But Trump also noted that no military in the world except for that of the U.S. could have pulled off the attack.
Trump says Iran will face more military strikes unless it makes peace
President Donald Trump called Iran 鈥渢he bully of the Middle East鈥� and warned of additional attacks if it didn鈥檛 make peace.
鈥淚f they do not, future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier,鈥� Trump said at the White House after the bombings of Iran鈥檚 nuclear facilities were announced earlier.
Trump portrayed the strike as a response to a long-festering problem, even if the objective was to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
鈥淔or 40 years Iran has been saying death to America, death to Israel,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淭hey have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs.鈥�
Iranian Atomic Energy Organization confirms strikes
Iran鈥檚 nuclear agency on Sunday confirmed attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz atomic sites, but is insisting its work will not be stopped.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran issued the statement after President Donald Trump announced the American attack on the facilities.
鈥淭he Atomic Energy Organization of Iran assures the great Iranian nation that despite the evil conspiracies of its enemies, with the efforts of thousands of its revolutionary and motivated scientists and experts, it will not allow the development of this national industry, which is the result of the blood of nuclear martyrs, to be stopped,鈥� it said in its statement.
Netanyahu welcomes US strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump鈥檚 decision to attack in a video message directed to the American president.
鈥淵our bold decision to target Iran鈥檚 nuclear facilities, with the awesome and righteous might of the United States, will change history,鈥� he said.
Netanyahu said the U.S. 鈥渉as done what no other country on earth could do.鈥�
Japan evacuates group from Iran
Japan鈥檚 Foreign Ministry said that 21 Japanese residents of Iran and their family members arrived safely in Baku, the capital of the neighboring Azerbaijan, after evacuating by bus. It was Japan鈥檚 second evacuation from Iran.
US used 鈥榖unker buster鈥� bomb, Trump tells Hannity
The U.S. dropped six 鈥渂unker buster鈥� bombs to strike the deeply buried , Fox 51暗网鈥� Sean Hannity says President Donald Trump told him in a phone call.
The Israelis say their offensive has already crippled Iran鈥檚 air defenses and significantly degraded multiple Iranian nuclear sites.
But to destroy the Fordo plant, Israel appealed to Trump for the 30,000-pound known as the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to penetrate underground and then explode.
The bomb is currently delivered only by the B-2 stealth bomber, which is only found in the American arsenal.
If confirmed, this would be the first combat use of the weapon.
Republican leaders in Congress praise Trump鈥檚 decision to strike Iran
U. S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican who was briefed by the White House ahead of the strike, said in a statement, 鈥淧resident Trump has been consistent and clear that a nuclear-armed Iran will not be tolerated ... That posture has now been enforced with strength, precision, and clarity.鈥�
U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Iranian regime鈥檚 鈥渕isguided pursuit of nuclear weapons must be stopped.鈥�
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a longtime Iran hawk and Republican from South Carolina, wrote online: 鈥淭his was the right call. The regime deserves it.鈥�
Meanwhile, elected Democrats and some far-right Republicans questioned the move, particularly without authorization from the U.S. Congress.
鈥淗orrible judgment,鈥� said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. 鈥淚 will push for all Senators to vote on whether they are for this third idiotic Middle East war.鈥�
Said conservative Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, 鈥淲hile President Trump鈥檚 decision may prove just, it鈥檚 hard to conceive a rationale that鈥檚 Constitutional.鈥�
Nonproliferation group condemns attacks
The Washington-based Arms Control Association, which focuses on nuclear nonproliferation, said the attack was an 鈥渋rresponsible departure from Trump鈥檚 pursuit of diplomacy and increases the risk of a nuclear-armed Iran.鈥�
鈥淭he U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear targets, including the deeply fortified, underground Fordo uranium enrichment complex, may temporarily set back Iran鈥檚 nuclear program, but in the long term, military action is likely to push Iran to determine nuclear weapons are necessary for deterrence and that Washington is not interested in diplomacy,鈥� it warned.
Iran鈥檚 state-run news agency confirms attacks targeting Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites
Iran鈥檚 state-run IRNA news agency reported early Sunday that attacks also targeted the country鈥檚 Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites.
IRNA quoted Akbar Salehi, Isfahan鈥檚 deputy governor in charge of security affairs, saying there had been attacks around the sites. He did not elaborate.
Another official confirmed an attack targeting Iran鈥檚 underground Fordo nuclear site.
Iran鈥檚 state-run news agency acknowledges attack on nuclear facility
Iran鈥檚 state-run IRNA news agency early Sunday acknowledged an attack on the country鈥檚 Fordo nuclear site.
Quoting a statement from Iran鈥檚 Qom province, IRNA said: 鈥淎 few hours ago, when Qom air defenses were activated and hostile targets were identified, part of the Fordo nuclear site was attacked by enemies.鈥�
The IRNA report did not elaborate.
Irani news agencies report that air defenses opened fire near Fordo
Iran鈥檚 semiofficial Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the country鈥檚 paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, quoted a provincial official in Qom that air defense did recently fire in an attack believed to target the area around the Fordo facility, but offered no other information.
The semiofficial Fars news agency, also close to the Guard, quoted another official saying air defenses opened fire near Isfahan and explosions had been heard.
Fars also quoted the same official in Qom province, saying air defenses fired around Fordo.
Trump claimed attack threatens to reignite US war with Houthi rebels
The attack claimed by U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to reignite America鈥檚 war with Yemen鈥檚 Houthi rebels, the last member of Iran鈥檚 self-described 鈥淎xis of Resistance鈥� able to launch regular attacks.
The Houthis on Saturday warned they would resume attack American ships in the Red Sea corridor if the U.S. joined the Israeli campaign.
Trump describes bombings as a 'very successful military operation'
President Donald Trump posted on social media that he will be delivering a 10 p.m. EDT address on the U.S. strikes from the White House.
The president described the bombings as a 鈥渧ery successful military operation in Iran.鈥�
鈥淭his is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR,鈥� Trump added.
Several Republican senators praise Trump after US bombing of Iran sites
Several Republican senators are praising President Donald Trump after he announced Saturday evening that the U.S. military bombed three sites in Iran.
鈥淲ell done, President Trump,鈥� Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C, posted on X. Texas Sen. John Cornyn called it a 鈥渃ourageous decision.鈥� Alabama Sen. Katie Britt said she stands by Trump and called the bombings 鈥渟trong and surgical.鈥�
Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin posted: 鈥淎merica first, always.鈥�
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania also praised the attacks on Iran. 鈥淎s I鈥檝e long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS,鈥� he posted. 鈥淚ran is the world鈥檚 leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities.鈥�
One House Republican criticized Trump鈥檚 decision. 鈥淭his is not Constitutional,鈥� posted Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, a longtime opponent of U.S. involvement in foreign wars.
US strikes 3 Iranian nuclear sites, Trump says, joining Israeli air campaign
President said Saturday that the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining 鈥檚 effort to decapitate the country鈥檚 nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran鈥檚 threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict.
The decision to directly involve the U.S. comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that have moved to systematically eradicate the country鈥檚 air defenses and offensive missile capabilities, while damaging its nuclear enrichment facilities. But U.S. and Israeli officials have said that American stealth bombers and a 30,000-lb. bunker buster bomb they alone can carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily-fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear program buried deep underground.
Saudi Arabia condemns 鈥榖latant Israeli aggressions鈥� against Iran
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has condemned 鈥渂latant Israeli aggressions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which undermine its sovereignty and security, constitute a clear violation of international laws and norms, and threaten the security and stability of the region,鈥� the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported.
Speaking at Friday's meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul, he called for 鈥渢he immediate cessation of military operations, the avoidance of escalation, and a return to the negotiation track between Iran and the international community.鈥�
Iran and Saudi Arabia were long regional arch-rivals but have normalized relations in recent years. Riyadh was quick to side publicly with Tehran after Israel launched a surprise barrage of strikes on Iran last week.
Bin Farhan also reiterated Saudi Arabia鈥檚 support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The kingdom and France had been set to co-chair a conference in New York this month on the topic, which was postponed due to the outbreak of the Israel-Iran war.
President says Iran will never resign its right to nuclear power
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says his country will never renounce its right to nuclear power, which 鈥渃annot be taken away from it through war and threats.鈥�
In a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday, Pezeshkian said Iran was ready to provide guarantees and confidence-building measures to demonstrate the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities, according to IRNA, the state-run news agency.
Pezeshkian said that Iran has never sought to produce nuclear weapons, IRNA reported. Posting on X, the French leader said he told his Iranian counterpart that 鈥淚ran must never acquire nuclear weapons, and it is up to Iran to provide full guarantees that its intentions are peaceful.鈥�
Egypt rejects Israeli campaign against Iran and calls for negotiated solution
President of Egypt has expressed his government鈥檚 鈥渃omplete rejection鈥� of Israel鈥檚 campaign against Iran, calling for a negotiated solution to the conflict.
El-Sissi鈥檚 comments came in a phone call Saturday with , the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
The statement said el-Sissi voiced Egypt鈥檚 鈥渃omplete rejection of the ongoing Israeli escalation against Iran,鈥� as a threat to the Middle East鈥檚 security and stability.
The Egyptian leader called for an immediate ceasefire to resume negotiations with the aim of reaching a 鈥渟ustainable, peaceful solution to this crisis.鈥�
Aerial refueling tankers spotted on flight paths consistent with escorting aircraft from US
Multiple U.S. aerial refueling tankers were spotted on commercial flight trackers flying flight patterns consistent with escorting aircraft from the central U.S. to the Pacific.
B-2 bombers, which are the only aircraft that carry the large bunker buster bombs, are based at an Air Force base in Missouri. It was not clear whether the aircraft being escorted early Saturday were prepared for an operation or merely moving to airbases closer to Iran as a show of force.
The White House and Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment on the flights.
Israel says it and Cyprus foiled a planned attack on Israeli citizens
Israel鈥檚 foreign minister says Israeli security services have helped Cypriot authorities foil a planned attack against Israeli citizens on the east Mediterranean island nation.
Minister Gideon Saar posted on X Saturday that Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guard was behind the plot. He thanked Cyprus for its 鈥渟wift and effective actions鈥� and accused Iran of 鈥渄eliberately targeting Israeli civilians both in Israel and abroad.鈥�
Cyprus police said Saturday they arrested a man on suspicion of terrorism and espionage. A court Saturday ordered the man, who wasn鈥檛 identified, held in police custody for eight days until investigators can complete their probe. Cypriot authorities said they wouldn鈥檛 comment further on the man鈥檚 arrest for 鈥渘ational security reasons.鈥�
A British Foreign Office spokesman said that U.K. authorities are in contact with the Cypriot government 鈥渞egarding the arrest of a British man.鈥�
Germany closes Tehran embassy and withdraws staff from Iran
The German embassy in Tehran has been closed until further notice 鈥渄ue to the current crisis situation,鈥� the diplomatic representation wrote on its website.
鈥淧lease do not come to the embassy or the consulate building. Appointments that have already been arranged have been canceled,鈥� the embassy said.
Due to the war between Israel and Iran, the German Foreign Ministry said Saturday it has withdrawn all of its embassy staff in Tehran and brought them out of the country.
The embassy is still reachable online for Germans remaining in Iran. On its website, the embassy gives advice on the different possibilities to leave by land via Armenia or Turkey. According to the German Foreign Ministry, there are still about 1,000 German citizens in Iran.
US begins repatriation flights from Israel
The U.S. ambassador to Israel says the United States has begun 鈥渁ssisted departure flights鈥� from Israel, the first time such flights have been offered there since the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.
The State Department said Saturday that it organized two flights departing from Tel Aviv to Athens with approximately 70 U.S. citizens, their accompanying immediate family members and permanent residents.
Ambassador Mike Huckabee announced the flights in a social media post as the war between Israel and Iran entered its second week. He says U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can complete an online form for updates.
The U.S. has also told its citizens in Iran who wish to leave to go via Azerbaijan, Armenia or Turkey if they feel it鈥檚 safe.
Nasrallah's bodyguard killed in Israeli airstrike on Iran, Hezbollah says
The head of security to the late Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike while in Iran, a Hezbollah official said Saturday.
Abu Ali Khalil, better known as Abu Ali Jawad, was killed after he went to Iran from neighboring Iraq, the official said.
For many years, Abu Ali was seen behind Nasrallah during most of his public appearances.
After Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstike in a Beirut suburb in September, his bodyguard was put in charge of his tomb in Beirut.
The Hezbollah official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the airstrike that killed Abu Ali occurred earlier Saturday.
Erdogan offers to mediate Iran-US talks
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for technical and leadership-level talks between Iran and the United States to resolve tensions, during a meeting with Iran鈥檚 top diplomat.
A statement from Erdogan office said the Turkish president also told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a meeting in Istanbul on Saturday that Turkey was ready to take on the role of facilitator.
Erdogan said that the region cannot tolerate another war and said Israel must be 鈥渟topped immediately.鈥�
Araghchi was in Turkey to attend a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The Associated Press
