‘Either peace or tragedy’ — President Trump declares After bombing Iran’s nuclear sites – Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan
President Donald Trump announced that the United States had carried out successful airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities, signalling a major escalation in the conflict in the Middle East.
In a series of statements on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said American forces had struck nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan with a “full payload of bombs,” describing the operation as a historic moment for the United States, Israel, and the world.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran… All planes are now outside of Iran air space,” Trump posted. “A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home… NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!”
He added that he would address the nation at 10:00 p.m. from the White House to elaborate on what he called “a highly successful military operation in Iran.”
“Many targets left”: Trump’s dire warning
Hours after the strikes, Trump addressed the media with a stark ultimatum: Iran must return to the negotiating table or face further precision strikes.
“This cannot continue,” the President warned. “There will either be peace or tragedy for Iran, far greater than what we have witnessed over the last eight days.”
Trump said the sites struck on Saturday were the “most difficult” and “perhaps the most lethal,” but made clear that the US military stands ready to take out further targets.
“Remember, there are many targets left,” he said. “If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.”
The President said the mission was designed to cripple Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme and neutralise what he called the threat posed by the “world’s number one state sponsor of terror.”
Trump’s comments came after he gave Iran a two-week window on Friday to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme — a deadline Tehran has so far ignored.
Netanyahu: “First comes strength, then peace”
In Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu applauded the US strikes and praised Trump’s leadership, calling the attacks a “bold and historic” move.
“Tonight, President Trump and the United States demonstrated immense strength,” Netanyahu said in a video message. “This is a decisive and bold action that will be remembered in history. President Trump, congratulations. Your courageous leadership is a pivotal moment.”
Netanyahu said the operation had drawn a “line in the sand” against Iran’s nuclear ambitions and showed the world that “peace through strength” was not just rhetoric.
He confirmed that the US military had deployed six bunker-buster bombs on Fordow and launched 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Natanz and Esfahan in a coordinated campaign reportedly codenamed “Rising Lion.”
“This action, in my view, denies the world’s most dangerous regime access to the world’s most dangerous weapons,” Netanyahu added.
Iran reacts: IAEA decries ‘violation of law’
Tehran responded swiftly but cautiously to the US strikes. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran said in a statement that the bombings were a “violation of international law”, though it stopped short of detailing the full extent of the damage.
The agency vowed that Iran’s nuclear efforts would continue, declaring that the attacks would not derail the “national industry” developed “with the blood of nuclear martyrs.”
“Despite the evil conspiracies of its enemies… it [Iran] will not allow the development of this national industry to be stopped,” the agency said.
Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, a claim rejected by both Israel and the Trump administration.
Saturday’s strikes follow more than a week of military escalation in the region. On June 13, Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and military personnel, reportedly killing dozens of scientists and top commanders.
In retaliation, Iran fired missiles and drones into Israeli territory, pushing the two nations closer to open war. The US, which had initially urged diplomacy, now appears to have fully aligned itself with Israel’s military campaign.
Trump, in his social media remarks, acknowledged the US-Israel partnership in the operation.
“I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team, like perhaps no team has ever worked before… We’ve gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel.”
Netanyahu echoed the sentiment, posting on X: “President Trump and I often say: ‘Peace through strength.’ First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, Donald Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”
A turning point?
With Iran’s nuclear sites hit and more strikes threatened, the region faces a perilous moment. Trump’s declaration of a “historic” mission and his call for peace stands in stark contrast to the language of ultimatums and further military options.
As Tehran absorbs the blow and the world watches for its response, the path forward now hinges on what Iran chooses next — diplomacy or defiance.
