The White House has released photos of President Donald Trump taken inside the Situation Room just moments before the United States launched coordinated airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites.
The airstrikes mark an escalation that significantly deepens U.S. involvement in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
“Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after the strike.
“Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace, if they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.”
According to U.S. officials, the strike targeted Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, three sites central to Iran’s nuclear program. Military aircraft reportedly deployed from U.S. bases more than 3,000 miles away, executing what Trump called a “full payload of BOMBS” on the primary target at Fordow, the BBC details.
“All planes are now outside of Iran air space… All planes are safely on their way home,” the president said. “Congratulations to our great American Warriors… NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE.”
The attack follows more than a week of mounting tension in the region. On June 13, Israel launched a major offensive on Iranian military infrastructure, killing at least 20 senior commanders. Iran responded with threats of retaliation, including direct warnings to the United States should it intervene militarily, CNN reported.
Last week, Trump publicly addressed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in a statement that further heightened diplomatic tensions.
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” he wrote, per CNN. “He is an easy target, but is safe there. We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now… Our patience is wearing thin.”
In the hours following the U.S. strikes, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi condemned the attacks, calling them a clear breach of international law.
“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” Araghchi wrote on X. “These events will have everlasting consequences.”
Iran has signaled that it reserves the right to respond under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows for self-defense following an armed attack. Araghchi warned the international community of the precedent such actions could set.
“Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless, and criminal behavior,” he added.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Arghchi, has since revealed that he is traveling to Russia on Sunday to meet President Vladimir Putin.
He said, per The Sun: “I’m going to Moscow this afternoon, and I have a meeting with President Putin tomorrow morning.”
Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that Trump was “fully committed to the peace process” and “gave Iran every single opportunity, and unfortunately, was met by stonewalling”.
“There was certainly a moment in time where he realized that it had to be a certain action taken in order to minimize the threat to us and our troops,” Hegseth added.
An emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors has been called for Monday to assess the situation. Regional observers warn that further escalation could spark broader instability across the Middle East.
