West MUST neuter nuclear Iran before it gets bomb… alternative is arming regime that would rejoice in our extermination
SAY it loud – if the Islamic Republic of Iran has nuclear bombs, it is very bad news for this country, the free world and the human race.
We are right to be wary of western intervention in the Middle East.
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The invasion of Iraq eventually gave birth to Islamic State.
Western intervention in Afghanistan left the women-hating Taliban in power.
But all arguments for appeasement return to one question.
Can the free world live with nuclear -armed Mullahs?
The Islamist fanatics in Tehran shout the rhetoric of extermination — against Israel, the Great Satan (the US) and Little Satan (us).
We have no choice but to take them seriously.
Iran's leaders are in the last- chance nuclear saloon.
President Trump has sensibly given them two weeks to stop building nuclear weapons.
All of Trump's instincts are to avoid armed conflict. 'Going into the Middle East is the worst decision ever made!', he raged in 2019.
Trump campaigned for his second term as a deal-maker, a peacemaker, an America-Firster more at home on the golf course than the battlefield.
Missiles streak into downtown Israeli city as Iran breaches Iron Dome defences
But sometimes we must fight for our freedom — and survival.
If Iran cannot be persuaded to give up their nukes peacefully, then conflict can't be avoided.
Unless we are prepared to see nukes in the hands of a regime that would rejoice to see us exterminated.
Even Trump supporters are against the idea of the US once again playing Earth's policeman.
'Drop Israel,' urges Tucker Carlson, traditionally Trump's greatest cheerleader. 'Let them fight their own wars.'
This is the MAGA line — abandon old allies, step away from NATO, let the freeloading foreigners fight their own wars. Don't get involved, dude!
But all the experts agree that Israel simply does not have the firepower to eradicate Iran's nuclear weapon programme.
Iran's Fordow nuclear enrichment plant is inside a mountain.
Destroying it requires American hardware.
Specifically, it requires American Stealth bombers carrying 30,000lb bunker-busting bombs.
Right to worry
And even that may not be enough.
Trump has given Iran's Mullahs every chance to abort their plans.
They should take it.
As the world steels itself, it is worth stating — the Iranian people are not our enemy.
Iran has been a sponsor of global terror, but nobody has suffered more under Tehran's religious fanatics than the people.
Iranian women have been beaten to death for daring to remove their hijab.
Any military intervention should be a last resort to remove the possibility of Iran ever having nuclear weapons.
It should not be the start of a war against the Iranian people.
We are right to worry about bombs falling on the nuclear facility.
Europe does not want to see millions more refugees on the move. Or a Chernobyl -like disaster.
But what should we fear more?
Bombs dropped on fanatics who would dance on our graves — or a nuclear-armed Iran?
Rachel a streetwise Eva Peron
AT 9pm sharp every night on London's Argyll Street, the strolling West End crowds are greeted by an astonishing sight.
Rachel Zegler, radiant Hollywood superstar, appears on a balcony dressed as Eva Peron and belts out a version of Don't Cry For Me Argentina that is so damn good you hope Madonna and Elaine Paige never hear it.
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What a voice. What a performance. And what a shock to the system if you have been doing a spot of late-night shopping.
Rachel – star of Snow White and Spielberg's West Side Story reboot – is playing Argentina's Eva Peron in Evita at the London Palladium until September.
And for the show's defining moment, every night, she comes off the Palladium stage, on to that balcony overlooking Argyll Street, and she sings – like a cross between Aretha Franklin and an angel.
Ticket holders who have paid to see the show watch Zegler's performance on a TV monitor.
One punter wrote: 'Sorry – are you saying I've paid £350 for two tickets and she's singing the biggest number outside at people who HAVEN'T paid?'
Er, yes. Like so many current West End shows, Evita has trigger warnings – telling fans not to be alarmed by loud music and flashing lights.
But the greatest shock is that anyone expecting to see Rachel Zegler belt out Don't Cry For Me Argentina should not be sitting in the Palladium.
They should be standing in the street outside.
Do not Tipp-ex truth
DOES the English language contain a more pathetically inadequate euphemism than ' Asian grooming gang '?
Somehow that does not cover the worst sexual abuse scandal in British history.
Asian – you mean Chinese? Or Indian? No, we don't mean that at all, do we?
And grooming gang – what a criminally pitiful understatement for the systemic mass rape of white working-class girls.
Why do we struggle to get our heads around the enormity of what has happened in Bradford, Rotherham, Manchester and a dozen other northern cities?
Why do we find it so hard, even now, to look the truth in the eye?
Because the truth is unbearable.
Baroness Casey's report is devastating. In 200 searing, traumatic pages, one paragraph screams for attention.
In the report of one child victim, the word 'Pakistani' was Tipp-Exed out.
The announcement of an inquiry into over-whelmingly Pakistani gangs abusing vulnerable white children is long overdue.
Let us – finally – hear the truth about how thousands of girls were failed by cops, Labour councils and social workers.
No more turning away for fear of looking racist. No more whitewashing.
And no more Tipp-Ex.
Heely idiotic
EYEBROWS are raised at the sight of Balenciaga's highly impractical high-heel trainers – yours for £820.
But doesn't every generation wear unfeasible footwear?
I can vividly remember the numerous occasions during the glam rock days when Billericay High Street chuckled as I fell from my platform boots like some kamikaze member of the Glitter Band.
Mind you, my platform boots did not cost 820 quid.
Rock on, Rod
GEARING up for Glastonbury next week, Sir Rod Stewart – 80-and-a-half years old – reveals that he has had a sprint track installed in his Essex back garden.
'I keep myself very fit,' he says. 'I have an indoor pool.
'Frank Sinatra once said to me, 'Rod, the secret of being a great singer is having powerful lungs. Do lots of underwater swimming'.'
We can't all have a sprint track in our back garden and health tips from Sinatra.
But we can all be inspired by remarkable Rod, who says he still loves a drink.
Rod Stewart once showed us how to be young.
Now he is showing us how to grow old.
Oasis fans quite something
LIAM GALLAGHER bristles at an Edinburgh council official referring to Oasis fans as 'fat, drunk and rowdy'.
Liam – mate – do you really want an Oasis crowd to be svelte, sober and polite?
Even in middle age, Oasis fans always are mad for it.
And never slightly sensible for it.
Reign man Cruise
TOM CRUISE is to be awarded an honorary Oscar after being nominated four times.
He was nominated for Best Actor twice, for Born On The Fourth Of July and Jerry Maguire, Best Supporting Actor for Magnolia and Best Picture for Top Gun: Maverick.
For my money, Cruise deserved an Oscar for his career-defining performance opposite Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, playing a spoilt brat on the skids who learns to love because of his relationship with his disabled brother.
If you doubt that the Cruiser is a great actor, have another look at Rain Man.
If Tom Cruise had a face like the back of a number 73 bus, he would have half a dozen Oscars by now.
End is nigh street
ONE of the UK's oldest shops, W.H. Mogford & Son in Bristol, a beautiful and beloved hardware store, is closing its doors this September.
It is a miracle that it has survived for 160 years.
10
Around 13,500 high street retailers closed their doors for ever last year, at a cost of 169,000 jobs.
Our high streets have been battered by online shopping.
Car-hating councils.
And apathetic police forces who stand aside for brazen shoplifters, as passive as gendarmes on the beaches of northern France.
Shop local when you can.
Spend your money in your community.
The British high street is dying.
And our lives will be diminished when it has gone.
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Times
3 minutes ago
- Times
US bombs Iran live: Trump says nuclear programme ‘obliterated'
Israel's military says it has begun further strikes on military targets in western Iran. In a post on social media, the IDF claimed that the air force 'neutralised' the launchers that fired missiles towards Israel earlier this morning and targeted other launchers that were preparing to fire. The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said there has so far been no increase in radiation levels following the US strikes on Iran. 'Following attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran – including Fordow – the IAEA can confirm that no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported as of this time', the IAEA said in a statement. 'IAEA will provide further assessments on situation in Iran as more information becomes available.' Eleven people have been taken to hospital after Iranian missiles hit 'multiple sites' across Israel, the national emergency service said. Images and video posted on social media appeared to show extensive damage to apartment buildings. Ten 'hits' have been reported across northern and central Israel, including in Haifa, Nes Ziona, Rishon Lezion, and Tel Aviv, according to the state broadcaster Kan and other Israeli media. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Israel's air defence systems were seen in action in the skies above Jerusalem following the Iranian missile David Adom, Israel's emergency service, said it had dispatched teams to the affected areas. Iranian state TV reported that 30 missiles were fired at Israel. Iran's foreign minister described the US strikes as 'extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour' in a post on social media. Abbas Araghchi added that Iran 'reserves all options' to defend itself following the attack on Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Israel's military says it has detected missile launches from Iran following the US strikes. The Israeli air force 'is operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat,' the IDF said in a statement. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Iran's National Nuclear Safety System Centre has issued a statement reporting 'no signs of contamination' at the Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan sites following the US strikes. 'There is no danger to the residents living around the aforementioned sites,' the statement added. 'This attack is an illegal, unjustifiable and extremely dangerous act of aggression,' the Venezuelan government said in a statement while calling for an 'immediate end to hostilities'. Miguel Díaz-Canel, the president of Cuba, said the bombings were a violation of international law. 'We strongly condemn the US bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities, which constitutes a dangerous escalation of the conflict in the Middle East,' he said. 'The aggression seriously violates the UN Charter and international law and plunges humanity into a crisis with irreversible consequences.' Analysis by David Charter in Washington President Trump's political allies are out in force to try to get ahead of the inevitable political fallout from the Iran strikes. Trump is facing two-pronged domestic criticism — usurping the exclusive power of Congress to declare war and breaking his 'America First' promise to voters to avoid new wars. There are already calls from some Democrats to impeach him. A notable feature of Trump's second term has been his pushing of the boundaries of executive power but with the Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress, he will not be concerned about impeachment. Trump is much more worried about placating his core supporters who hate the cost to taxpayers of foreign adventurism. Hence the appearance of loyalists like Markwayne Mullin, a senator from Oklahoma, on Fox News last night, to reassure the base that this is what they voted for all along. 'Peace through strength is what President Trump has been talking about from day one,' he said. The White House has released pictures from the National Security Council last night: After addressing the nation, President Trump issued another warning to Iran on Truth Social. Any retaliation, he said, 'will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight'. Leading Republicans who have previously clashed with Trump praised his decision to strike. Mike Pence, his former vice-president with whom Trump had a spectacular falling out, said he 'should be commended for his decisive leadership'. Mitch McConnell, the Republican senator, also said Trump had made the correct decision. Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation struck a defiant tone in response to the American strikes and said it would not allow development on its 'national industry' to be halted. The US attacks were a 'blatant' violation of international law, the agency said, and the international community should condemn them. The organisation did not mention the extent of the damage inflicted by the bombings. António Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, condemned the American strikes and said the situation was in danger of spiraling out of control. 'This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge — and a direct threat to international peace and security,' he said in a statement. 'There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control — with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.' Guterres called for UN member states to de-escalate and uphold their obligations under the UN charter. 'At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos,' he added. 'The only hope is peace.' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Democratic congresswoman, said Trump should be impeached for launching strikes without congressional approval. 'The president's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,' she wrote on X. 'He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.' As the world waits to see how Iran will respond, Trump warned that the US will inflict further destruction if Tehran does not seek peace. 'This cannot continue,' he said. 'There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. 'Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight's was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. 'But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill, most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes.' Trump said that Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, would hold a press conference at the Pentagon on Sunday morning at 8am (1pm UK time). 'Thank you very much. A short time ago, the US military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror. 'Tonight I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular nilitary success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. 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. 'For 40 years Iran has been saying, 'death to America, death to Israel'. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms blowing off their legs with roadside bombs. that was their specialty. We lost over a thousand people. Hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate. 'In particular so many were killed by their general Qasem Soleimani. I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue. 'I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we've gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they've done and most importantly I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades. 'Hopefully we will no longer need their services in this capacity. I hope that's so. I Also want to congratulate the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Dan 'Razin' Cane — spectacular general — and all of the brilliant military minds involved in this attack. With all of that being said this cannot continue. 'There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight's was the most difficult of them all by far and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision speed and skill. 'Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes. There's no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight Not even close. There's never been a military that could do what took place just a little while ago. tomorrow General Cane and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth will have a press conference at 8am [1pm UK time] at the Pentagon. 'I want to just thank everybody and in particular God. I want to just say we love you God and we love our great military. protect them. God bless the Middle East. God bless Israel and God bless America. Thank you very much.' President Trump said Iran's nuclear capabilities had been 'obliterated' and Tehran must now make peace or face further destructive attacks. Addressing the nation from the White House, the president said 'massive precision strikes' on the three Iranian nuclear sites had been a 'spectacular military success'. Iran's nuclear facilities — 'a horribly destructive enterprise' — were destroyed, according to Trump. He said Tehran was the world's 'number one state sponsor of terror'. In his first public comments on the US strikes, Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu praised President Trump and said 'the forces of civilisation thank you'. Trump, Netanyahu said, had made a 'bold decision' that 'will change history'. He added: 'History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world's most dangerous regime the world's most dangerous weapons. His leadership today has created a pivot of history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace.' Netanyahu said he and Trump believed in 'peace through strength'. He added: 'God bless America, God bless Israel, and may God bless our unshakeable alliance, our unbreakable faith.' Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. The governors of California and New York, states that are both home to significant Jewish communities, said they were closely monitoring the situation in case of any threats following the strikes on Iran. Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, said that while there have been no specific threats so far, 'we urge everyone to stay vigilant and report suspicious activity'. Kathy Hochul of New York said she is receiving intelligence briefings. 'The New York State Police are working to protect at-risk sites and fight cyberattacks,' she said. Siavash, a 30-year-old completing his military service in Iran, said that he was in shock. 'I keep rereading Trump's tweet. We did everything to prevent this moment. Since Obama said, 'all options are on the table,' we've tried — as citizens — to keep war off the table. But here we are. I'm sitting in uniform, watching the US strike … It feels like an absolute failure for me and people like me. 'Those nuclear sites were supposed to bring progress. Instead, they devoured our youth. I keep replaying every year since 2009 in my head. Honestly, I haven't lived since 2019. Today, I remembered how the US attacked Iraq. I knew Trump would do the same — and now it's happened. I once told a friend I couldn't leave Iran, that the grief of absence would kill me. He said, 'I just don't want you to die here — under both the regime and a war.' Maybe he saw more clearly than I did.' The American strikes involved six 'bunker-buster' bombs dropped on the Fordow site, President Trump appears to have told a Fox News host. Sean Hannity said he had spoken to Trump, who told him that the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites were 'wiped out' by 30 Tomahawk missiles launched by American submarines 400 miles away. Hannity, a favoured confidant of Trump's, said Iran's nuclear ambitions were 'officially dead'. 'Everyone is out of harm's way for now, that does not mean that American assets in the region are not at risk,' Hannity added. Analysis by Katy Balls, Washington Editor Donald Trump pitched himself as an antiwar president, winning support on the promise of a move away from the 'forever wars' that have dominated previous presidencies and a focus back home. His decision to strike three nuclear sites in Iran will test his coalition. It risks upsetting the isolationists in his party and comes after a week of public fighting among Republicans and members of the wider Maga movement over the best course of action. Last week Trump told a reporter that he decides what counts as America First. That claim is about to be tested. Already tensions are clear with Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser and godfather of Maga, who has just called on Trump to 'talk to Maga'. He said: 'There's a lot of Maga who are not happy about this. I'll just be blunt'. • Read Katy Balls's full analysis of the fight for the soul of Maga An Iranian state-run news agency has acknowledged the attack on the country's Fordow nuclear site, though did not provide any details on the extent of the damage. Quoting a statement from Iran's Qom province, IRNA said: 'A few hours ago, when Qom air defences were activated and hostile targets were identified, part of the Fordow nuclear site was attacked by enemies.' Tasnim, a semi-official news agency, also reported that air defence opened fire in the area. Further details were not immediately available. Yoav Gallant, the former Israeli defence minister, praised the US strikes. 'President Trump took a bold decision for the United States, for Israel, for all of humanity,' Gallant, who was fired by Binyamin Netanyahu last year in a clash over the war against Hamas, said on X. 'The world is now a safer place.' CNN reported that the Israeli government had been given advance notice that the US was going to strike Iran. While some senior Republicans praised Trump for striking Iran, Thomas Massie, the isolationist congressman from Kentucky, said it was 'not constitutional'. Massie introduced a war powers resolution to Congress last week seeking to block US involvement in Israel's conflict with Iran. He says that under the US constitution presidents must seek approval from Congress before launching a war. He was joined by prominent Democrats, including the Californian congressman Ro Khanna. After Trump announced the strikes on Saturday night, Khanna called on his colleagues to vote on Massie's resolution 'to prevent America from being dragged into another endless Middle East war'. World leaders have been calling for restraint since Israel began bombing Iran, with Sir Keir Starmer urging Binyamin Netanyahu to seek a diplomatic solution. At the G7 meeting in Canada last week, the heads of some of the world's wealthiest economies urged de-escalation but stopped short of calling for a ceasefire. Beyond the West there was strident criticism of Israel. Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, said Beijing explicitly condemned Israel's 'violation of Iran's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity'. President Putin offered to serve as a mediator between Israel and Iran. In his first public comments since the conflict broke out last week, Putin said it was a 'delicate issue' but that, 'in my view, a solution could be found.' That the US was planning to strike Iran after President Trump spent days mulling over the decision was teased by the news that B-2 bombers were on the move. Flight trackers first reported that the planes had taken off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri early on Saturday morning local time. The aircraft, which can be equipped with the 30,000lbs 'bunker buster' bombs needed to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities, were believed to be heading to a US base on the Pacific island of Guam. However, Trump's announcement of a 'very successful' raid suggests that the B-2s had been on a mission to Iran. The B-2 can fly at an altitude of 50,000ft and is equipped with stealth technology making it difficult for enemies to detect. The US military first used B-2 Spirit stealth bombers in combat during the 1999 Kosovo War. Trump's social network, Truth Social, appears to be down for many of the users trying to view it. The president regularly uses the channel, which he owns, for official announcements. About 40 minutes ago he used the platform to confirm America's 'very successful attack' on three Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump has said he will make a national TV address to Americans at 10pm eastern daylight time (3am in Britain). He posted on social media: 'I will be giving an Address to the Nation at 10:00 P.M., at the White House, regarding our very successful military operation in Iran. This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU' Lindsey Graham, the US senator who was among the most vociferous supporters of bombing Iran, praised Trump for making the 'right call'. 'The regime deserves it,' he said on X. 'Well done, President @realDonaldTrump.' Israeli officials told the Trump administration that they did not want to wait up to two weeks before striking Iran, according to Reuters. That is how long the US president gave himself to decide on Thursday, a deadline that would have expired on July 10. On what was described as a 'tense' phone call on Thursday, Israel is said to have warned the White House that it could act alone rather than wait, citing a limited window in which to target Iran's nuclear facilities. JD Vance, the US vice-president, is believed to have been against American involvement, illustrating the split inside the Maga movement over taking military action. For more than a decade, even before he officially ran for president, Donald Trump has repeatedly said Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb. In 2018 he withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, an agreement reached by his predecessor Barack Obama that restricted Tehran's atomic ambitions in return for sanctions relief. Trump's stance has not changed during his second term. 'Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it's very simple' he said last week while mulling over US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. The Trump administration had been negotiating with Iran over a fresh deal, but the countries were unable to reach an agreement before Israel launched its surprise assault last week. '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. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. 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! Thank you for your attention to this matter.' The United States struck at targets inside Iran in a high-stakes attempt to extinguish Tehran's nuclear programme. It risks spiralling into an unpredictable regional war. After spending days deliberating taking military action, President Trump said the US had targeted three nuclear sites inside Iran: 'Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan'.
Times
3 minutes ago
- Times
Does Iran have nuclear weapons? Why US is attacking now
It had long been assumed that Iran's two main nuclear enrichment facilities were hidden so deeply into the country's mountains that it would prove challenging for the Israeli military to destroy them. That did not stop Israel trying. Some experts questioned whether its attacks starting on June 12 would do anything more than temporarily set back the nuclear programme — but there will be far less doubt about the effectiveness of America's bombing raid on Saturday. • America strikes Iran: follow live Israel's attack on Iran was, therefore, a gamble. Either it has degraded Iran's nuclear weapons facilities sufficiently enough to halt further production, or the prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has emboldened Tehran to accelerate its race to build a nuclear bomb. Israel claimed the threat was 'imminent' after Iran enriched more than 400 kilograms of uranium to 60 per cent, just shy of the 90 per cent needed to build a bomb. The fuel, if weaponised, could be enough for nine nuclear warheads, according to the UN. Israeli missiles struck Natanz, one of the country's main facilities, and killed some of Iran's top nuclear specialists. The strikes also killed Iran's top two military commanders and severely injured a senior aide to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who headed nuclear policy. The attack came a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declared Iran to be in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time due to Tehran's unwillingness to disclose information about its nuclear stockpile, and days before Iran and the US were scheduled to hold another round of talks to curb the nuclear programme. But western intelligence agencies, including US ones, had assessed that Iran was not currently building a bomb, although it possessed the know-how. Iran has always claimed that its nuclear programme was meant for peaceful purposes but that it could build a bomb if its sites were attacked. Even before America joined in, one expert said that the Israeli strikes could bring that moment closer. 'It's far more likely now that Iran will withdraw from the non-proliferation treaty and make the decision to build nuclear weapons,' said Kelesy Davenport, the director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association. • What weapons does Iran have and how long can it attack Israel? 'Israel cannot destroy the knowledge Iran has gained about nuclear development. There is already a real risk that Iran is already diverting enriched uranium to covert sites. So Israeli strikes can set back the programme, but Israel cannot stop Iran indefinitely,' she said. It is widely accepted that Israel has nuclear weapons of its own, although it does not admit or deny having them. In 2008, The Sunday Times uncovered the secrets of a subterranean factory engaged in the manufacture of Israeli nuclear weapons. Hidden beneath the Negev desert, the factory had been producing atomic warheads for 20 years. Back then it had almost certainly begun manufacturing thermonuclear weapons, with yields big enough to destroy entire cities. It is not clear what weapons were used to attack Natanz and how far down they were able to penetrate. Some experts believe only with American support could Israel meaningfully degrade all of Iran's nuclear capabilities. • The Iran-Israel conflict in maps, video and satellite images Last year, Iran fired drones, cruise and ballistic missiles at Israel on two occasions and it appears likely that Tehran will retaliate. Those previous exchanges avoided setting off a devastating regional war because of the strength of Israeli air defences. But with each attack, the risk increases that a missile gets through. Indeed, Netanyahu may calculate that an Iranian misstep could drag the US into the conflict — forcing Trump to reconsider his opposition to a strike on Tehran's nuclear facilities.
Sky News
5 minutes ago
- Sky News
What happens next after US strikes is largely in Iran's control - but there are no good choices
As the sun rises above Jerusalem this morning, Israelis will be waking to the news that America has joined their war and attacked Iran. It will be met with mixed feelings. While the new day brings a comfort in US military support there will also be deep trepidation that this war has entered a dangerous and potentially uncontrollable phase. Benjamin Netanyahu released a video statement praising the US president and saying peace comes through strength; Donald Trump addressed the American nation and warned Iran he would not hesitate to order further action if it retaliates. What happens next is largely in Iran's control. What they choose to do, will determine the future of this region. The question is now not whether they will respond, but how? 1:45 Iran has faced a humiliating pounding from Israeli jets over nine days and now suffered massive attacks on their celebrated nuclear facilities by a country they call "The Great Satan"; there will be a feeling of national humiliation and anger, and the government will need to show its people it remains strong. Developing a nuclear programme has taken many decades and comes at vast cost: billions and billions of dollars and heavy international sanctions. That all now lies in tatters. How does the government explain that to its people, many of whom have suffered at the expense of these grand ambitions and are opposed to the draconian leadership they live under? Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is often described as the world's longest-serving dictator. He hasn't survived by being reckless but even though the US strikes weren't aimed at regime change, Khamanei's future is now more precarious than ever. The government rhetoric and state television channels will promise fire and victory, but the reality isn't simple. There will be voices close to the Supreme Leader, especially in the Revolutionary Guard, encouraging a strong response. The moderates will likely urge caution, wary of dragging the US into a wider, more sustained conflict that Iran couldn't win. It's unclear how much more Iran can throw at Israel. Ballistic missiles have been fired at the country every day since the war began, but in decreasing numbers as Israel has systematically targeted launch sites and stockpiles. Iran's proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas, are severely degraded and the Assad regime in Syria is no more. This was all supposed to be the first line of defence, a deterrence against an Israel attack. That shield has collapsed. The Houthis remain defiant but their firepower is limited. 1:44 The US attacks were against Iran's nuclear sites, not senior Iranian officials. Strikes on US bases in the region would therefore be the most logical 'like-for-like' response. If they choose to widen the conflict, Iran could now target oil facilities in the Gulf or try to close off the globally important Strait of Hormuz. Either of those options would have international consequences. 2:48 Shia militia in Iraq could be hard to control if they decide to act unilaterally. Iraqi security forces have reportedly surrounded the US Embassy in Baghdad in anticipation of violence. There is a possibility Iran could do something smaller and symbolic as a way of saving face, having the final word and giving the region an off-ramp. That will be the hope in Washington. But even in that best-case scenario, it will surely have to be something more than a token response; Iran is reeling, severely weakened internally and externally. If they escalate, they risk a severe US response that could be a death blow. If they capitulate, the government faces major domestic dissent and reputational damage from which it might never recover.
