President Donald Trump said Sunday that US strikes on Iran caused “monumental damage” to its nuclear sites, as Washington joined ally Israel’s bombing campaign.While Washington insists the United States is not seeking to topple the government in the Islamic republic, comments by US President Donald Trump have been more ambivalent.With Iran vowing retaliation and the international community pushing to avert a wider conflagration in the region, here are the latest developments:- ‘Obliteration’ -Trump wrote on social media on Sunday that “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!” He did not share the images he was referencing. The attack targeted Isfahan, Natanz and the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, with Iran’s media reporting that all three sites had been hit.US Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said seven B-2 stealth bombers had flown 18 hours to drop 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs — a powerful 13,600-kilogram (30,000-pound) weapon.US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes had “devastated the Iranian nuclear programme”, but “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people”.Vice President JD Vance said the US air strikes had “set the Iranian nuclear programme back substantially”.- ‘Regime change’ -Trump “seeks peace”, Hegseth said at a press briefing, adding: “This mission was not, and has not, been about regime change.”But Trump himself, in comments later Sunday, mulled the possibility.”It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”Iran “must now agree to end this war”, Trump said after the strikes, insisting that under no circumstances should it possess a nuclear weapon.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “thanks to President Trump, we have moved closer to our goals”.At a UN Security Council emergency meeting Sunday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned against “descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation”.The leaders of France, Germany and Britain called on Iran “not to take any further action that could destabilise the region”.The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at key nuclear sites in Iran after the US strikes.- ‘Worldwide caution’ -Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said bases used by US forces could be attacked in retaliation.”Any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces to strike Iran will be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces,” he said in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also vowed that the United States would “receive a response” to the attacks. The US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans on Sunday, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those travelling or living abroad at increased risk.”There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” the State Department’s security alert said.”The Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”- Iran and Israel trade fire -Sirens sounded across Israel and Iran early Monday as the arch enemies exchanged their latest round of fire.The Israeli army said it was intercepting missiles from Iran, while Iranian state media Fars said the air defence system was working to counter a drone attack. After the US attacks, Iran’s armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel, including Ben Gurion airport, a “biological research” facility, logistics bases and various layers of command and control centres.Tehran governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian told state TV that “more than 200 locations have been attacked” across the capital since the start of Israel’s bombing campaign on June 13.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran’s health ministry said. Iran’s attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.- Strait of Hormuz -US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to help deter Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route, following the American strikes.Analysts have said Iran may opt to retaliate to Washington’s attack by shutting the Strait, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes.”I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that because they heavily depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said on Fox News.burs-csp/tc/lb
President Donald Trump said Sunday that US strikes on Iran caused “monumental damage” to its nuclear sites, as Washington joined ally Israel’s bombing campaign.While Washington insists the United States is not seeking to topple the government in the Islamic republic, comments by US President Donald Trump have been more ambivalent.With Iran vowing retaliation and the international community pushing to avert a wider conflagration in the region, here are the latest developments:- ‘Obliteration’ -Trump wrote on social media on Sunday that “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!” He did not share the images he was referencing. The attack targeted Isfahan, Natanz and the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, with Iran’s media reporting that all three sites had been hit.US Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said seven B-2 stealth bombers had flown 18 hours to drop 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs — a powerful 13,600-kilogram (30,000-pound) weapon.US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes had “devastated the Iranian nuclear programme”, but “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people”.Vice President JD Vance said the US air strikes had “set the Iranian nuclear programme back substantially”.- ‘Regime change’ -Trump “seeks peace”, Hegseth said at a press briefing, adding: “This mission was not, and has not, been about regime change.”But Trump himself, in comments later Sunday, mulled the possibility.”It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”Iran “must now agree to end this war”, Trump said after the strikes, insisting that under no circumstances should it possess a nuclear weapon.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “thanks to President Trump, we have moved closer to our goals”.At a UN Security Council emergency meeting Sunday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned against “descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation”.The leaders of France, Germany and Britain called on Iran “not to take any further action that could destabilise the region”.The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at key nuclear sites in Iran after the US strikes.- ‘Worldwide caution’ -Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said bases used by US forces could be attacked in retaliation.”Any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces to strike Iran will be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces,” he said in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also vowed that the United States would “receive a response” to the attacks. The US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans on Sunday, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those travelling or living abroad at increased risk.”There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” the State Department’s security alert said.”The Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”- Iran and Israel trade fire -Sirens sounded across Israel and Iran early Monday as the arch enemies exchanged their latest round of fire.The Israeli army said it was intercepting missiles from Iran, while Iranian state media Fars said the air defence system was working to counter a drone attack. After the US attacks, Iran’s armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel, including Ben Gurion airport, a “biological research” facility, logistics bases and various layers of command and control centres.Tehran governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian told state TV that “more than 200 locations have been attacked” across the capital since the start of Israel’s bombing campaign on June 13.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran’s health ministry said. Iran’s attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.- Strait of Hormuz -US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to help deter Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route, following the American strikes.Analysts have said Iran may opt to retaliate to Washington’s attack by shutting the Strait, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes.”I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that because they heavily depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said on Fox News.burs-csp/tc/lb
