US President Donald Trump has introduced that the USA has “completely obliterated” three Iranian nuclear websites in what he referred to as “spectacularly profitable” strikes.
The army used so-called “bunker buster” bombs and missiles to focus on the closely fortified Fordow facility in addition to Natanz and Isfahan websites.
Trump’s choice to hitch Israel’s army marketing campaign marks a pointy escalation within the area, which has seen greater than 21 months of Israeli genocide in Gaza.
The US intervention comes greater than per week after Israel launched an unprovoked strike on Iranian nuclear and army websites after accusing Tehran of constructing an atomic bomb.
Iran, in addition to the United Nations nuclear watchdog, has rejected the claims that Tehran was on the cusp of growing nuclear weapons.
How did the assault occur, and which internet sites had been focused?
Trump introduced the bombing of three of Iran’s fundamental nuclear websites:
- Fordow Gasoline Enrichment Plant – A closely fortified, deeply buried uranium enrichment web site close to the northern metropolis of Qom.
- Natanz Nuclear Facility – Iran’s fundamental uranium-enrichment advanced, situated close to Isfahan in central Iran.
- Isfahan Nuclear Know-how Middle – A key conversion and analysis facility south of Isfahan metropolis.
Based on US Basic Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers, a big formation of seven B-2 stealth bombers, every with two crew members, was launched from the US on Friday at midnight as a part of Operation Midnight Hammer.
To keep up tactical shock, a decoy group flew west over the Pacific, whereas the primary strike group headed east with minimal communications throughout an 18-hour flight.
At 5pm EST (1:30am native time and 21:00 GMT), a US submarine within the area launched greater than two dozen Tomahawk missiles, placing floor infrastructure targets in Isfahan.
At 6:40pm EST (2:10am Iran time and 22:40 GMT), the lead B-2 dropped two GBU-57 Huge Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) on Fordow, adopted by a complete of 14 MOPs dropped throughout Fordow and Natanz.
All three nuclear websites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—had been hit between 6:40pm and seven:05pm EST (1:30am-2:10am native time; 22:40-23:10 GMT). The ultimate wave of Tomahawk missiles struck Isfahan final to protect shock.
In whole, greater than 125 US plane participated, together with stealth bombers, fighter jets, dozens of tankers, surveillance plane, and assist crews.
The Pentagon described it as the most important B-2 fight operation in US historical past and the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown. Pressure safety throughout the area was elevated in anticipation of potential retaliation.
The place are Iran’s nuclear websites?
Iran’s nuclear programme is unfold throughout a number of key websites. Whereas Iran insists its programme is peaceable and geared toward power and medical analysis, the US and Israel stay deeply suspicious.
Iran’s resumption of uranium enrichment after the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 has solely deepened tensions. Israel, which had vehemently opposed the nuclear deal underneath US President Barack Obama, has vowed to stop Iran from buying nuclear weapons by any means obligatory. On June 13, it launched strikes on Iran a day forward of a sixth spherical of US-Iran nuclear talks.
Assault on Fordow
Iran’s Fordow Gasoline Enrichment Plant, situated about 95km (60 miles) southwest of Tehran, is constructed deep inside a mountain, reportedly as much as 80-90 metres (260-300 toes) underground, to outlive air strikes and bunker buster assaults.
Based on Sanad, Al Jazeera’s fact-checking company, three areas present harm: two craters ensuing from bunker-busting bombs, and a broken air defence web site designed to protect the nuclear reactor.
Mehdi Mohammadi, an adviser to the chairman of the Iranian parliament, claimed that the US assault was not shocking and that no irreversible harm was sustained through the strikes. He added that authorities had evacuated all three websites prematurely.
Assault on Natanz
Natanz nuclear facility, the most important uranium enrichment web site in Iran, is situated in Isfahan province.
In a earlier assault on June 15, the above-ground part of a pilot gas enrichment plant, the place uranium was enriched as much as 60 p.c, was destroyed by an Israeli strike, in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Natanz’s key electrical energy infrastructure, such because the substation, fundamental energy constructing, emergency provide, and backup mills, was additionally destroyed. There was no direct hit on the underground cascade corridor, however the energy loss might have broken centrifuges used for uranium enrichment.
Assault on Isfahan
Isfahan Nuclear Know-how Middle is a key conversion and analysis facility south of Isfahan metropolis. It performs a crucial function in making ready uncooked supplies for enrichment and reactor use.
That is the third time Isfahan has been struck since Israel launched assaults throughout Iran on June 13, prompting fears of a regional escalation.
Bunker buster bombs
The strikes on Iran’s nuclear websites had been carried out utilizing B-2 stealth bombers armed with so-called “bunker buster” bombs, alongside submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Consultants have lengthy famous that the Fordow Gasoline Enrichment Plant—buried deep inside a mountain—may solely be destroyed by the US’s 30,000-pound (13,600kg) Huge Ordnance Penetrator, the world’s strongest bunker-busting bomb. The US stays the one nation recognized to own this weapon.
No indicators of contamination
Iran’s nuclear agency mentioned on Sunday that radiation monitoring and subject assessments present no indicators of contamination or danger to residents close to the focused websites.
“Following the unlawful US assault on the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear services, no contamination has been recorded,” the company posted on social media. “There is no such thing as a hazard to residents round these websites. Security stays steady.”
In a separate assertion, the Atomic Vitality Group of Iran vowed that its nuclear actions would proceed regardless of the strikes, saying it “assures the good Iranian nation that, regardless of the hostile conspiracies of its enemies, the efforts of 1000’s of dedicated and revolutionary scientists will be sure that this nationwide trade—constructed on the blood of nuclear martyrs—is not going to be stopped”.
The IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, additionally didn’t discover a rise in radiation ranges close to the focused websites.
The assaults got here as Israel and Iran have been engaged in additional than per week of aerial fight, with greater than 400 killed in Iran and 24 casualties reported in Israel.
Six Iranian scientists, two of whom had been outstanding nuclear scientists, had been additionally killed in Israeli strikes.
