World braces for what Iran will do next
Israel has shut down schools and banned gatherings across the country, and American troops are bracing for counter-attacks, as the world waits to see how Iran will respond to today's US strikes.
Iran has already launched missiles at Israel as its Tel Aviv citizens scramble to shelter with reports of some casualties.
President Donald Trump said the US 'successfully' carried out air strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, 'obliterating' the Fordow facility as well as those in Natanz and Isfahan.
After the attacks, Hossein Shariatmadari, a representative of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the Islamic republic was ready to respond.
'Now it is our turn to, without wasting time, as a first step, fire missiles at the US naval fleet in Bahrain and at the same time close the Strait of Hormuz to American, British, German and French ships,' he said in the Iranian Kayhan newspaper.
Later, an official statement from the Iranian Foreign Minister warned 'the United States has launched a dangerous war' and would be 'fully responsible' for the 'consequences'.
Mr Trump told Iran the US was willing to continue its aerial campaign on Iran, including 'greater' future attacks, if it did not comply with peace efforts.
'Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight,' he said in a late-night post to Truth Social.
As the world waits to see how the Iran will respond, US military leaders are reportedly warning troops to brace for potential retaliatory strikes.
There are more than 40,000 US troops and civilians working for the Pentagon across the Middle East, according to figures from the New York Times, in nations such as Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emitrates.
Experts all agreed that Iran would retaliate against the US and Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi hinted on social media that nothing was off the table.
He described the US attack as 'outrageous' and one that 'will have everlasting consequences'.
'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,' he wrote on X.
'The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour.'
'In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defence, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.'
Retired US army officer John Spencer told ABC News that Iran could respond to the conflict via an 'irrational route'.
'It could go with Hezbollah, which still has a lot of capabilities, against Israel, (and where) there are hundred of thousands of American citizens,' he said.
'It could (activate) Shia-backed militia groups in Iraq to attack American bases. It's ballistic program, which is about 50 per cent destroyed, it could make that fatal mistake of launching ballistic missiles at American bases within its range.'
Meanwhile Omar Rahman, from the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told the ABC that Iran had its 'back to the wall' and it's only option was to retaliate to ensure the regime's credibility.
'I think you're going to see some sort of military response here against US assets and military installations in the region,' he said.
'That could be against aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, it could be against any number of the bases and tens of thousands of US soldiers stationed in the region.'
Chillingly, others have warned that the US attack good push Iran to develop a nuclear weapon and this was likely the beginning of the war, rather than the end.
Israel, meanwhile, is bracing for further Iranian retaliation.
Shortly after Mr Trump confirmed the US strikes, the Israel Defence Force's Home Front Command declared all schools across the country would close, social gatherings were banned and only essential businesses were allowed to operate, effective immediately.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee, who heads the IDF's Arab media unit, issued an update to security restrictions in Israel.
'It was decided to move all regions of the country to the level of essential work,' he wrote on X.
'The instructions include prohibiting educational activities, gatherings, and work centres, with the exception of essential work areas.'
Around the world some are sounding the alarm that the escalation of the war could result in dire consequences.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the US strikes on Iran were a 'dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.'
'There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,' he said.
'At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
US says strikes 'devastated' Iran's nuclear program
Unprecedented US strikes have wrecked Iran's nuclear program, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday, though other officials cautioned the extent of damage at the three sites was unclear. Iran's leaders struck a defiant tone and vowed to respond, while an advisor to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed their stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed. International concern intensified over the surprise attacks deepening conflict in the Middle East after Israel launched its bombing campaign against Iran earlier this month. President Donald Trump said he wanted peace and urged Iran to end the conflict after he launched massive overnight strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz. "We devastated the Iranian nuclear program," Hegseth told a Pentagon press briefing, adding that the operation "did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people." Standing beside Hegseth, top US general Dan Caine said "it would be way too early for me to comment on what may or may not still be there." "Initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction." - Protests in Tehran - People gathered Sunday in the center of Tehran to protest against US and Israeli attacks, waving flags and chanting slogans, state TV showed. Trump claimed total success for the operation in an address to the nation hours after the attack, and Vice President JD Vance followed up on Sunday morning. "We know that we set the Iranian nuclear program back substantially last night, whether it's years or beyond," he told ABC. But he also suggested Iran still had its highly enriched uranium. "We're going to work in the coming weeks to ensure that we do something with that fuel," he said. "They no longer have the capacity to turn that stockpile of highly enriched uranium to weapons grade uranium." In Tehran, AFP journalists said aircraft had roared over the city for the first time since Israel's initial attacks. "Even if nuclear sites are destroyed, game isn't over, enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, political will remain," Khamenei advisor Ali Shamkhani said in a post on X. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that the United States would "receive a response" to attacks during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to the official IRNA news agency. Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told CNN that there were clear signs of the hit on Fordo. But "no one, neither us (or) nobody else could be able to tell you how much it has been damaged," he said. The IAEA said it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at the nuclear sites and Tehran said Sunday there were no signs of contamination. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prayed for Trump at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Sunday, after hailing the strikes as a move that would "change history." - Retaliation risk - The Israeli military was also checking the results of the US raid on the deeply buried nuclear facility in Fordo, with a spokesman saying it was "too soon" to know if Iran had removed enriched uranium from the site. The main US strike group was seven B-2 Spirit bombers that flew 18 hours from the American mainland to Iran, Caine said. In response to the attack, which used over a dozen massive "bunker buster" bombs, Iran's armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport, the country's main international gateway near Tel Aviv. Israeli rescuers said at least 23 people were wounded. In Jerusalem, Claudio Hazan, a 62-year-old software engineer, said he hoped the US intervention would hasten an end to the Iran-Israel war. "Israel by itself would not stop... and it would take longer," he said. At least nine members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed Sunday in Israeli attacks on central Iran, local media reported, as fighting between the two foes continued. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticized the US move and called for de-escalation. The leaders of France, Germany and Britain on Sunday urged Iran "not to take any further action that could destabilise the region." Following his address, Trump warned Iran against retaliation. Iran and its proxies have previously attacked US military bases in Iraq and elsewhere in the region. Iran's Huthi allies in Yemen on Sunday repeated their threat to resume attacks in the Red Sea if Washington joined the war, saying they were ready to target US ships and warships. The US president had stepped up his rhetoric against Iran since Israel first struck the country on June 13, repeating his insistence it could never have nuclear weapons.
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
US attacks Iran LIVE updates: Trump joins Israel's war after bombing Iran's nuclear facilities; Iranian top diplomat to meet Vladimir Putin
Latest posts Latest posts 4.05am Opinion: Trump ignores intelligence advice and attacks anyway In the end, Israel's leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, got what he wanted – America involved in his aerial campaign against Iran. And in a timeframe determined by Israeli rather than US calculations, writes Middle East and security analyst Rodger Shanahan. It is an extraordinary turn of events. Neither the International Atomic Energy Agency nor America's own Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard supported Netanyahu's claim about the 'golden information' possessed by Israel indicating an imminent threat posed by any weaponised nuclear program. Yet, US President Donald Trump told reporters not to listen to Gabbard. Once again, the White House has committed its forces to a conflict in the Middle East without making a proper case. 4.04am Analysis: Master stroke or mistake? Five months after the starter's gun fired on Donald Trump's second presidency, he has made his most consequential decision, writes our North America correspondent Michael Koziol. The decision to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities had been one faced by many of his predecessors, who ultimately opted against the idea. The merits of this cannot and will not be known today, not until the damage to the three Iranian sites has been assessed and the regime's retaliation, whatever that may be, has taken place. But politically, this move fundamentally changes the shape of the Trump presidency. The accusation of timidity and indecision – Trump Always Chickens Out (TACO) – can no longer be credibly levelled against him. Did that irksome critique contribute to his resolve? We don't know. But it is becoming clearer that Trump has followed a predetermined path, or at the very least, seized on an opportunity with relish – and along the way, he has obscured his intentions to America and the world. 4.04am The latest on the crisis in the Middle East The United States yesterday launched an assault on three nuclear sites in Iran, bringing the US directly into a conflict that threatens to escalate. US President Donald Trump claimed in an address to the American people that nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan and – crucially – Fordow, the 'nuclear mountain' that could only be penetrated by American military technology, had been 'completely and totally obliterated'. Trump said he hoped that Iran would engage in peace talks, but he also threatened any retaliatory action would be met with force and lead to 'tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days'. Overnight, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said America 'does not seek war' with Iran despite entering the latest Middle East conflict on the side of Israel. What comes next? Iran's top diplomat will travel to Moscow today to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The International Atomic Energy Agency called an emergency meeting as fears grow of escalation in the Middle East. As for Trump? North America correspondent Michael Koziol writes: 'Despite his declaration of success, it is too soon to tell whether this was a master stroke or a mistake.' How will Iran respond? The regime has threatened a full and ferocious response with 'everlasting consequences', and had already flagged its intention to target US military and diplomatic sites if America entered the war. However, Iran's options are limited, according to Middle East and security analyst Rodger Shahanan, who writes: 'It is relatively weak militarily and Israel has air supremacy. Iran's armed non-state supporting actors have either been degraded, or internal political or broader national considerations have forced them to critically re-evaluate that support.' What about the enriched uranium? A senior Iranian source has told Reuters that most of the highly enriched uranium had been removed from the Fordow nuclear facility before the US attack. Experts have said chemical contamination was the most likely consequence of damage to Iranian nuclear facilities, but the prospect of nuclear fallout or widespread contamination was low. More on this from science reporter Angus Dalton here. Map: Nuclear sites hit by US military bombing raid
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Iran-Israel war live updates: Iran says 'game is not over' after US strikes
The Trump administration has said strikes launched on three Iranian nuclear sites were not aimed at regime change, while Tehran has vowed to respond. The UK, France and Germany have urged Iran "not to take any further action that could destabilise the region". Follow the latest developments in our live blog. To get updates straight to your inbox, subscribe to ABC News.
