Trump says US 'obliterated' three Iranian nuclear sites, threatens more attacks

President Donald Trump said US air strikes had "completely and totally obliterated" three Iranian nuclear sites, as Washington directly joined Israel's days-long assault on Iran.
In a televised address on Saturday night at the White House, Trump said the attacks had been a "spectacular military success".
Earlier in the evening, he took to social media to announce that strikes had taken place on Iran's Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan sites.
"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!" he wrote on Truth Social.
During the televised address, the president warned that if Iran did not make peace, the US would go after further targets.
"There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days," he said.
US President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the White House in Washington, DC on 21 June 2025 (AFP/Pool/Carlos Barria)

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The National

25 minutes ago

• The National

Polling on Iran attack shows Donald Trump faces uphill battle to win public support

Polling conducted before the US attack on Iranian nuclear sites suggests US President Donald Trump could face an uphill battle to convince a majority of Americans to support the military strikes. A survey from The Washington Post before Saturday's attack found 45 per cent of respondents opposed the idea of US air strikes against Iran, 25 per cent supported strikes, while 30 per cent were unsure. 'We are deeply distracted by our own issues here at home,' said Brian Katulis, a senior fellow of the Washington-based Middle East Institute, pointing to economic and cultural issues preoccupying many Americans. Recent ' No Kings ' protests against Mr Trump's sweeping use of his executive authorities has also helped consolidate opposition to his Iran plans. 'These were protests that had deep concerns about President Trump overreaching on executive authority, and this action last night will continue those debates on that,' Mr Katulis said. He added that the crucial thing for Mr Trump, based on the Post 's polling, would be to convince the 30 per cent who were unsure about the idea of US strikes on Iran. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has described Mr Trump's military action on Iran as 'not constitutional'. But Republicans sharing that view were almost non-existent on Sunday, with most supporting Mr Trump's actions. The White House said the strikes did not attack Iranian troops or civilians. During an appearance on NBC on Sunday, Vice President JD Vance echoed that message. 'We're not at war with Iran, we're at war with Iran's nuclear programme,' he said. 'We actually want peace, but we want peace in the context of them not having a nuclear weapons programme.' Despite Mr Trump initially claiming 'spectacular' success, Pentagon officials cautioned that an in-depth assessment of Saturday's strikes on Iran would take some time. If it becomes apparent that the strikes were not as effective as initially advertised, support for Mr Trump's decision to attack Iran could falter, Mr Katulis said. 'At the [Pentagon] news conference, they hedged a bit more,' Mr Katulis said, referring to Gen Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who urged patience while the US studies long-term battle damage assessments of the attacks.

Al Etihad

35 minutes ago

• Al Etihad

Arab leaders warn of 'catastrophic consequences' following US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities

22 June 2025 22:24 ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)The Arab world voiced concern on Sunday following a series of US airstrikes that targeted key nuclear facilities in Iran. The rare direct attack by Washington prompted region-wide condemnation, with Gulf and Arab capitals warning that the escalation risks plunging the region into deeper instability and calling for a return to Arabia described the targeting of nuclear sites as a grave provocation. In a post on X, the Saudi Foreign Ministry reiterated its condemnation of "the violation of the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran" and called on the international community to intensify efforts towards finding a political solution to the said it "regrets the deterioration of the situation" and reaffirmed its support for peaceful solutions through regional and international cooperation. The Qatari Foreign Ministry cautioned that the escalation could lead to catastrophic consequences, stressing that the people of the region "cannot endure" the humanitarian cost of more called for a swift resumption of US-Iran negotiations, stressing that diplomacy must prevail to "spare [the region's] people the horrors and dangers of war". The Interior Ministry instructed 70% of government workers to work from home and urged citizens to avoid unnecessary use of roads to keep them clear for emergency also condemned the strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, warning that the move threatens global security. Its Foreign Ministry denounced the violation of Iran's sovereignty, urged an immediate and complete end to military operations and called on the UN Security Council to take responsibility in de-escalating the described the US strikes as an "unlawful act of aggression" and a breach of international law. A spokesperson for Oman's Foreign Ministry warned the strike risks "widening the conflict" and denounced the targeting of nuclear facilities, which it said are protected under the Geneva Conventions due to the risks of radioactive warned of the "disastrous repercussions" of continued escalation, calling for urgent efforts to protect regional and global peace. The Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks and called for a political solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear said the crisis was reaching a dangerous tipping point and could jeopardise the entire region's security. Cairo reaffirmed its position on respecting state sovereignty and urged all parties to avoid military confrontation. It also stressed that peaceful dialogue remained the only viable path Arab Parliament also condemned the strikes, saying they threaten to inflame conflicts across the Middle East. In a statement, it said the region was already suffering from rising tensions and could not bear further escalation. The body rejected the use of military force and urged powerful nations to lead efforts that advocate for diplomatic solutions to existing reactions came hours after US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out strikes on Iran's nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Speaking on Fox News, Trump said six bunker-buster bombs were dropped on Fordow, and 30 Tomahawk missiles were used to strike other sites. He said Iran must now choose "peace or tragedy".US military officials said on Sunday that the operation, named 'Midnight Hammer', involved 125 aircraft and used 75 precision-guided weapons. B-2 bombers flew 18 hours from the United States and conducted the largest such operation in their history. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Washington of violating the UN Charter and international law and said Tehran "reserves all options" in response. The Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation said the strikes caused extensive damage but vowed the move "will not allow the path of development of this national industry to be stopped". Israel-Iran Conflict Continue full coverage

The National

an hour ago

• The National

Israel-Iran war could slow Gulf investment inflow in 2025, warns World Bank regional chief

Foreign direct investment in the Gulf could slow in the second half of this year as the war between Iran and Israel dents investor sentiment, the World Bank 's director for the region has said. Investors will probably adopt a wait-and-see approach as the conflict that started with Israel's attacks on Iran's nuclear sites on June 12 worsens, Safaa El-Kogali told The National in Riyadh. 'Even if they've started [investing beforehand], they [foreign investors] might hold off until they see things settling down a bit,' she said on the sidelines of a World Bank seminar on Sunday. De-escalation does not seem likely after President Donald Trump ordered the first-ever direct US military attack on Iranian soil earlier that day. The US attacked three Iran nuclear facilities with six bunker-buster bombs and launched Tomahawk missiles. GCC countries had varied in their ability to attract FDI in 2024. The UAE received Dh167 billion ($45.5 billion) in foreign direct investment last year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said in a post on X on Thursday. This represented a 48 per cent increase, he added. The UAE accounted for 37 per cent of the total foreign investment flows in the region, he said. Saudi Arabia's net FDI inflows in 2024 decreased as a share of GDP, amounting to 1.1 per cent compared to 2.1 per cent in 2023, according to a recent report by the World Bank. Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar saw FDI fall by 7.3 per cent, 2.3 per cent and 0.5 per cent of GDP respectively from 2023 to 2024, it added. Oman saw FDI increase by 2.4 per cent of GDP. This was due to 'prudent fiscal management and diversification efforts' the report said. What is the impact? No one can accurately measure the impact of the escalation on the regional economies, but peace is necessary for economic security and the implications will be broad, Ms El-Kogali said. 'Increasing costs of commodities, of shipments – this will impact a number of industries that import raw material', she said. The conflict will add to inflation, which will affect investors and consumers alike, she added. 'Whenever there is uncertainty … in any region, tourists usually decide not to go,' she said. Travel and tourism made up about 11.4 per cent of the region's gross domestic product in 2024, according to the latest data from the Statistical Centre for the Co-operation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf. Oil prices, which have surged since the beginning of the war, will also have an impact on the fiscal balance of Gulf countries that still rely heavily on oil as their primary source of revenue and exports, she said. Brent and WTI surged by as much as 13 per cent in the first few hours of trading after Israel began its military campaign against Tehran. Oil prices posted a third weekly gain in a row despite falling on Friday as the war sparked supply fears. On Friday, Brent, the benchmark for two thirds of the world's oil, fell 2.33 per cent to settle at $77.01 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate, the gauge that tracks US crude, closed 0.28 per cent lower at $74.93 a barrel. Who will feel it more? Gulf countries that have diversified away from oil, such as the UAE, are more likely to resist hits caused by global economic uncertainty, Ms El-Kogali said. This was a key message of the World Bank report, Smart Spending, Stronger Outcomes: Fiscal Policy for a Thriving GCC, released last week, that measured the growth of Gulf economies until June 1. 'I think this report is really timely, because it focuses on what the GCC countries have been doing, and what impact, or the effect, those policies that have been put in place [have had],' said Ms El-Kogali. 'The UAE has started the diversification agenda a while back and currently, with 74 per cent of GDP being from the non-oil sector, puts them in a stronger position. 'The more you diversify, the more you have different opportunities to deal with crises that come your way. When you put all your eggs in one bag, and something happens to that bag, then you're in greater trouble.' Proper investment Ms El-Kogali said that higher oil prices can benefit Gulf countries, depending on how revenue is spent in the non-oil sector. 'We think that as the non-oil sector continues to be strong and growing, with the easing off of the oil production cuts, that the countries of the GCC have good gross prospects in the short and medium term,' she said. 'We really expect growth to reach 4.5 per cent by 2026 driven by the oil and the non-oil.' It takes time to see the returns of investments she added. This growth is particularly important during period of geoeconomic uncertainty. However, 'there may be the risk of spillovers' of the war which will impact the growth trajectory of Gulf nations, she said. Gulf countries have been prudent in the past during crises and 'we saw that implementing fiscal spending during downturns had a positive impact', she said. There is room to do more to further streamline spending and the Gulf countries must prioritise investments that have high returns, and can create jobs during difficult times, that will then sustain growth through economic cycles, she added.