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Donald Trump said that the US struck three nuclear sites in Iran, drawing America into another war in the Middle East.
The president said that US planes dropped bombs on Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan, joining Israel’s aerial campaign against the Islamic republic.
The decision to strike Iran marks a potential turning point in Trump’s presidency after he campaigned for his second term on a pledge to be a peacemaker who ends “forever wars”.
The attack also brings the risk of Iranian retaliation against the US, especially military bases and ships in the region, along with other interests such as oil supplies.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday evening after holding a national security meeting at the White House.
“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home”, he said. Trump was due to address the nation later on Saturday night.
After at first appearing to distance himself from the conflict, Trump has in recent days been deliberating over whether to involve the US military in Israel’s effort to dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme. On Thursday, he appeared to offer Iran a two-week window to reach a diplomatic solution and avert an attack from the US, but that reprieve ended up being far shorter.
“IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR”, Trump said in a second Truth Social post. “This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD.”
The US had earlier moved B-2 stealth bombers to a base in Guam. American “bunker-buster” bombs carried by the B-2 were considered the best chance of destroying Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, which is buried deep under a mountain.
