US bombs targets in Iran

President Donald Trump says the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel ‘s effort to decapitate the country’s nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran’s threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict.

The decision to directly involve the U.S. comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that have moved to systematically eradicate the country’s air defenses and offensive missile capabilities, while damaging its nuclear enrichment facilities. But U.S. and Israeli officials have said that American stealth bombers and a 30,000-lb. bunker buster bomb they alone can carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily-fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear program buried deep underground.

Trump was the first to disclose the strikes. There was no immediate acknowledgment from the Iranian government. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that attacks targeted the country’s Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites. The agency did not elaborate.

Netanyahu welcomes U.S. strikes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s decision to attack in a video message directed to the American president.

“Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, with the awesome and righteous might of the United States, will change history,” he said.

Netanyahu said the U.S. “has done what no other country on earth could do.”

Japan evacuates group from Iran

Japan’s Foreign Ministry said that 21 Japanese residents of Iran and their family members arrived safely in Baku, the capital of the neighboring Azerbaijan, after evacuating by bus. It was Japan’s second evacuation from Iran.

US used ‘bunker buster’ bomb, Trump tells Hannity

The U.S. dropped six “bunker buster” bombs to strike the deeply buried Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, Fox News’ Sean Hannity says President Donald Trump told him in a phone call.

The Israelis say their offensive has already crippled Iran’s air defenses and significantly degraded multiple Iranian nuclear sites.

But to destroy the Fordo plant, Israel appealed to Trump for the 30,000-pound bunker-busting American bomb known as the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to penetrate underground and then explode.

The bomb is currently delivered only by the B-2 stealth bomber, which is only found in the American arsenal.

If confirmed, this would be the first combat use of the weapon.

Republican leaders in Congress praise Trump’s decision to strike Iran

U. S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican who was briefed by the White House ahead of the strike, said in a statement, “President Trump has been consistent and clear that a nuclear-armed Iran will not be tolerated ... That posture has now been enforced with strength, precision, and clarity.”

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Iranian regime’s “misguided pursuit of nuclear weapons must be stopped.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a longtime Iran hawk and Republican from South Carolina, wrote online: “This was the right call. The regime deserves it.”

Meanwhile, elected Democrats and some far-right Republicans questioned the move, particularly without authorization from the U.S. Congress.

“Horrible judgment,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. “I will push for all Senators to vote on whether they are for this third idiotic Middle East war.”

Said conservative Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, “While President Trump’s decision may prove just, it’s hard to conceive a rationale that’s Constitutional.”

Nonproliferation group condemns attacks

The Washington-based Arms Control Association, which focuses on nuclear nonproliferation, said the attack was an “irresponsible departure from Trump’s pursuit of diplomacy and increases the risk of a nuclear-armed Iran.”

“The U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear targets, including the deeply fortified, underground Fordo uranium enrichment complex, may temporarily set back Iran’s nuclear program, but in the long term, military action is likely to push Iran to determine nuclear weapons are necessary for deterrence and that Washington is not interested in diplomacy,” it warned.

Iran’s state-run news agency confirms attacks targeting Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported early Sunday that attacks also targeted the country’s Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites.

IRNA quoted Akbar Salehi, Isfahan’s deputy governor in charge of security affairs, saying there had been attacks around the sites. He did not elaborate.

Another official confirmed an attack targeting Iran’s underground Fordo nuclear site.

Iran’s state-run news agency acknowledges attack on nuclear facility

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency early Sunday acknowledged an attack on the country’s Fordo nuclear site.

Quoting a statement from Iran’s Qom province, IRNA said: “A few hours ago, when Qom air defenses were activated and hostile targets were identified, part of the Fordo nuclear site was attacked by enemies.”

The IRNA report did not elaborate.