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A shooting and suicide bombing at a Damascus church during a packed service on Sunday killed at least 22 people, authorities said, blaming a member of the Islamic State group for the unprecedented attack. The international community condemned the attack, the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.It was also the first inside a church in Syria since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011, according to a monitor.Security remains one of the greatest challenges for Syria’s new authorities, with the international community repeatedly urging them to protect minorities.AFP correspondents saw first responders transporting people from the Orthodox church as security forces cordoned off the area.The church itself was strewn with wood from fittings and pews, with fallen icons and pools of blood on the floor.”A suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group entered the Saint Elias church in the Dwelaa area… opened fire then blew himself up with an explosive belt,” an interior ministry statement said.State news agency SANA, citing the ministry of health, reported a death toll of 22, with 63 injured.Lawrence Maamari who was inside the church when the attack happened told AFP a man had entered and begun shooting. People “tried to stop him before he blew himself up”, he added.Ziad Helou, 40, who was at a shop nearby, said he heard gunfire then an explosion, and saw glass flying.”We saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown all the way to the entrance,” he said.- ‘Heinous crime’ -The blast sparked panic and fear in the church, which had been full of worshippers, including children and the elderly, eyewitnesses said. Families were still searching desperately for missing loved ones.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was the first suicide attack inside a church in Syria since war erupted in 2011. Other churches had been damaged or seen attacks in their vicinity during the conflict, but none had been so directly targeted.The Orthodox patriarchate in Damascus called on “the authorities to bear full responsibility for what has happened and is happening concerning the violation of the sanctity of churches, and to ensure the protection of all citizens”.Syria’s Christian community has shrunk from around one million before the war to under 300,000 due to waves of displacement and emigration.The United Nations special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen expressed “outrage at this heinous crime”, calling for a full investigation.US special envoy Tom Barrack said Washington supported Syria “as it fights against those who are seeking to create instability and fear in their country and the broader region”.Turkey, which is close to the new authorities, expressed confidence that Syrians would stay united in “their fight against terrorist organisations that seek to sow chaos in the country”. France’s foreign ministry restated its commitment to “a transition in Syria that allows Syrians, whatever their religion, to live in peace and security in a free, united, pluralistic, prosperous, stable and sovereign” country.Egypt’s Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s prestigious seat of learning, called it a “blatant assault on the right to life” and worship.- Investigation -Syria’s foreign ministry described the attack as “a desperate attempt to undermine national coexistence and to destabilise the country”.Assad had portrayed himself as a protector of minorities, who during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war were targeted by numerous attacks — many of them claimed by jihadist groups including IS.Since the new authorities took power, the international community has urged the government to protect minorities and ensure their participation in Syria’s transition, particularly after sectarian violence in recent months.Interior Minister Anas Khattab said that specialised teams had begun investigating.”These terrorist acts will not stop the efforts of the Syrian state in achieving civil peace,” Khattab said according to a statement.In an interview earlier this month, Khattab said that IS had shifted “to studied attacks on strategic targets” and had attempted “to carry out attacks against the Christian and Shiite community” that the authorities had thwarted.Last month, IS claimed its first attack on Syria’s new government forces. Authorities said they had arrested members of an IS cell near Damascus, accusing them of preparing attacks.IS seized large swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in the early years of the civil war, declaring a cross-border “caliphate” in 2014 before being territorially defeated in 2019.burs-lar/lg/tc/lb

Iran on Sunday threatened military bases used by US forces to launch attacks on the country’s nuclear sites, saying such facilities would be considered legitimate targets.The United States has thousands of troops deployed on bases across the Middle East.Below, AFP examines countries with major concentrations of US forces in the Middle East, which falls under the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM).- Bahrain -The tiny Gulf kingdom hosts an installation known as Naval Support Activity Bahrain, where the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and US Naval Forces Central Command headquarters are based.Bahrain’s deep-water port can accommodate the largest US military vessels, such as aircraft carriers, and the US Navy has used the base in the country since 1948, when the facility was operated by Britain’s Royal Navy.Several US ships have their home port in Bahrain, including four anti-mine vessels and two logistical support ships. The US Coast Guard also has vessels in the country, including six fast response cutters.- Iraq -The United States has troops at various installations in Iraq, including Al-Asad and Arbil air bases. The Iraqi government is a close ally of Iran, but also a strategic partner of Tehran’s arch-foe the United States.There are some 2,500 US troops in Iraq as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State jihadist group. Baghdad and Washington have agreed on a timetable for the gradual withdrawal of the coalition’s forces from the country.US forces in Iraq and Syria were repeatedly targeted by pro-Iran militants following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, but responded with heavy strikes on Tehran-linked targets, and the attacks largely subsided.- Kuwait -Kuwait has several US bases, including Camp Arifjan, the location of the forward headquarters for the US Army component of CENTCOM. The US Army also has stocks of prepositioned materiel in the country.Ali al-Salem Air Base hosts the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, which the military describes as the “primary airlift hub and gateway for delivering combat power to joint and coalition forces” in the region. Additionally, the United States has drones including MQ-9 Reapers in Kuwait.- Qatar -Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar includes the forward components of CENTCOM, as well as of its air forces and special operation forces in the region. It also hosts rotating combat aircraft, as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, which the military says includes “airlift, aerial refueling intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and aeromedical evacuation assets.”- Syria -The United States has for years maintained troop presences at a series of installations in Syria as part of international efforts against the Islamic State group, which rose out of the country’s civil war to overrun large parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq.The Pentagon announced in April that it would roughly halve the number of its forces in the country to less than 1,000 in the coming months as part of a “consolidation” of US troops in the country.- United Arab Emirates -Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE hosts the US 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, a force that is composed of 10 squadrons of aircraft and also includes drones such as MQ-9 Reapers.Combat aircraft have rotated through Al Dhafra, which also hosts the Gulf Air Warfare Center for air and missile defense training.

At least 22 people were killed Sunday in a suicide attack on a church in Damascus, authorities said, blaming a member of the Islamic State group for the unprecedented attack. The international community condemned the attack, the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.It was also the first inside a church in Syria since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011, according to a monitor.Security remains one of the greatest challenges for Syria’s new authorities, whom the international community has repeatedly urged to protect minorities.An interior ministry statement said: “A suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group entered the Saint Elias church in the Dwelaa area… opened fire then blew himself up with an explosive belt.”AFP correspondents saw first responders transporting people from the Orthodox church as security forces cordoned off the area.The church itself was strewn with wood from fittings and pews, with fallen icons and pools of blood on the floor.A health ministry statement carried by state news agency SANA said 22 people had been killed and dozens wounded, raising an earlier toll of 20 dead.Lawrence Maamari who was inside the church when they attack happened told AFP a man had entered and begun shooting. People “tried to stop him before he blew himself up”, he added.Ziad Helou, 40, who was at a shop nearby, said he heard gunfire then an explosion, and saw glass flying.”We saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown all the way to the entrance,” he said.- ‘Heinous crime’ -The blast sparked panic and fear in the church, which had been full of worshippers including children and the elderly, eyewitnesses said. Families were still searching desperately for missing loved ones.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was the first suicide attack inside a church in Syria since war erupted in 2011. Other churches had been damaged or had attacks had been in their vicinity during the conflict — but none had been so directly targeted.The Orthodox patriarchate in Damascus called on “the authorities to bear full responsibility for what has happened and is happening concerning the violation of the sanctity of churches, and to ensure the protection of all citizens”.Syria’s Christian community has shrunk from around one million before the war to under 300,000 due to waves of displacement and emigration.The United Nations special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen expressed “outrage at this heinous crime”, calling for a full investigation.US special envoy Tom Barrack said Washington supported Syria “as it fights against those who are seeking to create instability and fear in their country and the broader region”.Turkey, which is close to the new authorities, expressed confidence that Syrians would stay united in “their fight against terrorist organisations that seek to sow chaos in the country”. France’s foreign ministry restated its commitment to “a transition in Syria that allows Syrians, whatever their religion, to live in peace and security in a free, united, pluralistic, prosperous, stable and sovereign” country.Egypt’s Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s prestigious seat of learning, called it a “blatant assault on the right to life” and worship.- Investigation -Syria’s foreign ministry described the attack as “a desperate attempt to undermine national coexistence and to destabilise the country”.Assad had portrayed himself as a protector of minorities, who during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war were targeted by numerous attacks — many of them claimed by jihadist groups including IS.Since the new authorities took power, the international community has urged the government to protect minorities and ensure their participation in Syria’s transition, particularly after sectarian violence in recent months.Interior Minister Anas Khattab said that specialised teams had begun investigating.”These terrorist acts will not stop the efforts of the Syrian state in achieving civil peace,” Khattab said according to a statement.In an interview earlier this month, Khattab said that IS had shifted “to studied attacks on strategic targets” and had attempted “to carry out attacks against the Christian and Shiite community” that the authorities had thwarted.Last month, IS claimed its first attack on Syria’s new government forces, but authorities said they had arrested members of an IS cell near Damascus, accusing them of preparing attacks.IS seized large swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in the early years of the civil war, declaring a cross-border “caliphate” in 2014 before being territorially defeated in 2019.burs-lar/lg/jj

At the blood-stained Saint Elias church in Damascus, Umm George wept as she desperately searched for her son, who was among the worshippers when a suicide bomber struck on Sunday.In vain, she tried to convince Syrian security forces, who had cordoned off the area, to let her into the church, whose windows had been blown out and whose interior was covered with debris and damaged pews.”My son was praying in the church,” she told AFP. “I tried to contact him but his mobile phone is off the air and I haven’t been able to find him.””I’m afraid I won’t hear his voice again,” she said, breaking down.Panicked family members rushed to the church in the working-class Dwelaa district of the Syrian capital searching for loved ones after news of the blast spread.The interior ministry said “a suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group” entered the church, “opened fire then blew himself up with an explosive belt” in an unprecedented attack inside a Syrian church since war erupted more than 14 years ago.Authorities said more than 20 people were killed and dozens wounded.AFP correspondents saw blood and human remains inside the devastated church, whose panels holding religious icons were scattered on the ground and its central chandelier shattered.The blast sparked panic in the church, which had been full of worshippers including children and the elderly, an eyewitness said.- ‘Extremely afraid’ -Lawrence Maamari, who was among those inside, said that “someone entered from outside carrying a weapon” and began shooting, adding that people “tried to stop him before he blew himself up”.Maamari said he helped move around 10 casualties from the scene, as local residents tried to help the wounded before ambulances and other emergency vehicles arrived.Other worshippers were shocked, unable to comprehend what had happened, their faces filled with grief.The force of the blast sent glass flying towards a shop opposite, where Ziad Helou, 40, said he heard gunfire then an explosion, and threw himself to the ground in fear.”We saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown all the way to the entrance,” he said.Several churches were damaged during Syria’s war, which erupted in 2011, or attacks were carried out in their vicinity, but none were directly hit by such an attack.The government of now-ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad long portrayed itself as a protector of minorities, who were targeted by numerous attacks during the conflict, many claimed by jihadist groups including IS.The attack is also the first of its kind since the new authorities took over after Assad’s December ouster, while the international community has repeatedly called for minorities to be protected.”We were extremely afraid,” said Helou.”I remember the explosions during the war,” he added.

Democrats bristled Sunday over US President Donald Trump’s decision to launch air strikes on Iran without seeking authorization from Congress, accusing the Republican of violating the constitution and demanding a vote to rein in his war powers.Members of the Senate and House of Representatives argued that US intelligence had not shown an imminent threat from the Middle Eastern country that justified Trump’s unilateral action.”President Trump’s actions in bombing Iran puts the US on the brink of a wider war in the Middle East, all without constitutionally required Congressional approval,” Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin said in a statement.Democrats were divided between those demanding a vote on a war powers resolution to constrain Trump’s authority to launch further action and a smaller group, who maintained that the strikes were grounds for the Republican leader’s impeachment.They included Illinois moderate Sean Casten and New York leftist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who accused the president of having “impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations.”Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leaders in the Senate and House respectively, said Trump had “dramatically increased” America’s risk of becoming embroiled in a new Middle Eastern conflagration. “No president should be allowed to unilaterally march this nation into something as consequential as war with erratic threats and no strategy,” Schumer said.The Democrats have foreign policy hawks in their ranks and many were quick to point to the threat that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose — while still upbraiding Trump for acting without consulting lawmakers. “The Constitution makes clear that the power to authorize war lies with Congress… The American people deserve more than vague rhetoric and unilateral decisions that could set off a wider war,” said Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee.The loudest Democratic voice in support of the strikes was staunchly pro-Israel Senator John Fetterman, who singled out Trump for praise — something even party colleagues who support the strikes have avoided.”As I’ve long maintained, this was the correct move by (Trump),” the Pennsylvania centrist posted on X. “Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities.”Republicans have been lining up since the strikes to praise Trump and endorse his decision to hit three Iranian nuclear facilities — with little dissent among the ranks.But Kentucky conservative Thomas Massie accused Trump of escalating the conflict between Israel and Iran. “When two countries are bombing each other daily in a hot war, and a third country joins the bombing, that’s an act of war,” said Massie, who introduced a bipartisan resolution earlier this month to require any military action to be approved by lawmakers.”I’m amazed at the mental gymnastics being undertaken by neocons in DC (and their social media bots) to say we aren’t at war… so they can make war.”

At least 20 people were killed Sunday in a suicide attack on a church in Damascus, authorities said, with Syria’s interior ministry blaming a member of the Islamic State group. The international community condemned the attack, the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, and the first on a church there since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011.Security remains one of the greatest challenges for Syria’s new authorities, whom the international community has repeatedly urged to protect minorities.The interior ministry said in a statement that “a suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group entered the Saint Elias church in the Dwelaa area of the capital Damascus where he opened fire then blew himself up with an explosive belt”.AFP correspondents saw first responders transporting people from the site, which was strewn with shattered wood from fittings and pews, with fallen icons and pools of blood seen on the floor. Security forces cordoned off the area.A health ministry statement carried by state news agency SANA said 20 people were killed and 52 wounded, raising an earlier civil defence toll.Bystander Lawrence Maamari told AFP that “someone entered (the church) from outside carrying a weapon” and began shooting, adding that people “tried to stop him before he blew himself up”.- ‘Heinous crime’ -United Nations special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen expressed “outrage at this heinous crime”, calling in a statement for “a full investigation and action by the authorities”.US special envoy Tom Barrack said Washington supported Syria “as it fights against those who are seeking to create instability and fear in their country and the broader region”.Jordan likewise voiced support for “the Syrian government’s efforts to combat terrorism and safeguard the country’s security”.France’s foreign ministry condemned the “abject” attack, reiterating its commitment to “a transition in Syria that allows Syrians, whatever their religion, to live in peace and security in a free, united, pluralistic, prosperous, stable and sovereign” country.Syria’s foreign ministry described the attack as “a desperate attempt to undermine national coexistence and to destabilise the country”.Ziad, 40, said from a shop near the church that he heard gunfire then an explosion, and saw glass flying at him.”We saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown all the way to the entrance,” he said.The blast sparked panic and fear in the church, which had been full of worshippers including children and the elderly, an eyewitness told AFP, requesting anonymity.Several people were reported missing, with families searching desperately for their loved ones.Assad had painted himself as a protector of minorities, who during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war were targeted by numerous attacks, many claimed by jihadist groups including IS.After the new authorities took power, the international community and visiting envoys repeatedly urged the government to protect minorities and ensure their participation in Syria’s transitional process, particularly after sectarian violence erupted in several parts of the country.- Investigation -Interior Minister Anas Khattab offered condolences for the victims and said that “specialised teams from the ministry have begun investigations into the circumstances of this reprehensible crime”.”These terrorist acts will not stop the efforts of the Syrian state in achieving civil peace,” Khattab said according to a statement.In an interview earlier this month, Khattab noted the security challenges facing Syria and said that IS had shifted “to studied attacks on strategic targets”.He said IS had attempted “to carry out attacks against the Christian and Shiite community” that the authorities had thwarted.Last month, IS claimed its first attack on Syria’s new government forces.Also last month, Syrian authorities said they arrested members of an IS cell near Damascus, accusing them of preparing attacks, while another anti-IS operation in the northern city of Aleppo saw the death of one security officer and three IS members.IS seized large swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in the early years of the civil war, declaring a cross-border “caliphate” in 2014.US-backed Syria Kurdish forces defeated the proto-state in 2019, but the jihadists have maintained a presence, particularly in Syria’s vast desert.burs-lar/lg/smw/ysm

A powerful US bunker-busting bomb was used in combat for the first time when Washington struck Iranian nuclear sites this weekend.Israel had carried out a week of air strikes on Iran, but does not possess the GBU-57 — a 30,000-pound (13,600 kilogram) weapon viewed as necessary to reach the most deeply buried facilities — or the aircraft needed to deploy it.General Dan Caine, the top US military officer, told journalists on Sunday that Washington’s forces dropped 14 of the bombs in the massive operation aimed at knocking out Tehran’s nuclear program.- What are its capabilities? -The US military says the GBU-57 — also named Massive Ordnance Penetrator — is designed to penetrate up to 200 feet (60 meters) underground before exploding.This differs from missiles or bombs that typically detonate their payload near or on impact.”To defeat these deeply buried targets, these weapons need to be designed with rather thick casings of steel, hardened steel, to sort of punch through these layers of rock,” said Masao Dahlgren, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based research center.The 6.6-meter-long GBU-57 also has a specialized fuse as “you need an explosive that’s not going to immediately explode under that much shock and pressure,” Dahlgren said.Caine said Sunday it was too early to comment on what remains of Iran’s nuclear program, but that “initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.”- How is it deployed? – The only aircraft capable of deploying the GBU-57 is the B-2 Spirit, a stealth bomber.With their long-range capabilities, B-2s departing from the United States “are able to fly all the way to the Middle East to do bombing runs. That’s been done before,” Dahlgren said.The US employed seven B-2s in the Iran strikes — aircraft that can fly 6,000 nautical miles (9,600 kilometers) without refueling and which are designed to “penetrate an enemy’s most sophisticated defenses and threaten its most valued, and heavily defended, targets,” according to the US military.”This was the largest B-2 operational strike in US history and the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown,” Caine said.Several B-2s proceeded west over the Pacific as a decoy while the bombers that would take part in the strikes headed east — a “deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders,” the general said.

The United States has carried out strikes that caused “extremely severe damage” to three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, the top US military officer, General Dan Caine, said on Sunday.President Donald Trump had spent weeks pursuing a diplomatic path to replace the nuclear deal with Tehran that he tore up during his first term in 2018.But he ultimately decided to take military action against Iran’s nuclear program, which had already been bombarded in a more than week-long Israeli campaign that has also targeted Tehran’s top military brass.Below, AFP examines what we know about the US strikes on Iran — an operation dubbed “Midnight Hammer.”- Major operation -Caine told journalists the strikes involved more than 125 US aircraft including B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, fighters, aerial refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.”This mission demonstrates the unmatched reach, coordination and capability of the United States military,” the general said. “No other military in the world could have done this.”Caine said it was “too early” to comment on what remains of Iran’s nuclear program, but that “initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.”- B-2 bombers -The US employed seven B-2s in the strikes — aircraft that can fly 6,000 nautical miles (9,600 kilometers) without refueling and which are designed to “penetrate an enemy’s most sophisticated defenses and threaten its most valued, and heavily defended, targets,” according to the US military.”This was the largest B-2 operational strike in US history and the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown,” according to Caine.Several B-2s proceeded west over the Pacific as a decoy while the bombers that would take part in the strikes headed east — a “deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders,” the general said.”Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran’s surface-to-air missile systems did not see us. Throughout the mission, we retained the element of surprise,” Caine said.The United States used the B-2 in operations against Serbian forces in the 1990s, flying non-stop from Missouri to Kosovo and back, and the bombers were subsequently employed in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars in the 2000s.- Massive Ordnance Penetrator -Caine said the B-2s dropped 14 bombs known as the GBU-57 or Massive Ordnance Penetrator — a powerful 30,000-pound (13,600-kilogram) bunker-busting weapon that made its combat debut in the Iran operation.The bombs — which are designed to penetrate up to 200 feet (60 meters) underground before exploding — were needed to hit deeply buried Iranian nuclear facilities.Testing of the weapons began in 2004 and Boeing was in 2009 awarded a contract to complete the integration of GBU-57 with aircraft.- Tomahawk cruise missiles -In addition to the bombers, a US guided missile submarine in the Middle East launched more than two dozen missiles at unspecified “surface infrastructure targets” at Isfahan, one of three nuclear sites struck in the operation, Caine said.The missiles are “designed to fly at extremely low altitudes at high subsonic speeds, and are piloted over an evasive route by several mission tailored guidance systems” and were first used in 1991 against Iraqi forces during Operation Desert Storm, according to the US military.- Aim of the strikes -US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told journalists the strikes were launched to “neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear program and the collective self-defense of our troops and our allies.””This mission was not, has not been, about regime change,” Hegseth told journalists.A number of key figures in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement have vocally opposed US strikes on Iran, and his promise to extract the United States from its “forever wars” in the Middle East played a role in his 2016 and 2024 election wins.- What comes next? -Trump has called on Iran to “agree to end this war,” saying that “now is the time for peace.”But it remains to be seen whether the strikes will push Tehran to deescalate the conflict, or to widen it further.If Iran chooses the latter option, it could do so by targeting American military personnel who are stationed around the Middle East, or seek to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which carries one-fifth of global oil output.

Unprecedented US strikes have wrecked Iran’s nuclear program, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday as Washington sought to assess what remained of the three targeted sites.The surprise strikes threaten to deepen conflict in the Middle East after Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran, with Tehran vowing to retaliate against US involvement.But the United States said President Donald Trump wanted peace and urged Iran to end the conflict after strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.”We devastated the Iranian nuclear program,” Hegseth told a Pentagon press briefing, adding that the operation “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people.”Trump “seeks peace, and Iran should take that path”, Hegseth said. “This mission was not, and has not been, about regime change.”Standing beside Hegseth, top US general Dan Caine said that “it would be way too early for me to comment on what may or may not still be there.””Initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,” he told reporters.- Protests in Tehran -People gathered in the center of Tehran to protest against US and Israeli attacks, waving flags and chanting slogans, state TV showed.Trump claimed total success for the operation in an address to the nation hours after the attack, and Vice President JD Vance followed up on Sunday morning.”We know that we set the Iranian nuclear program back substantially last night, whether it’s years or beyond,” he told ABC.”We’re not at war with Iran — we’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program,” he added. “The president took decisive action to destroy that program last night.”In Tehran, AFP journalists said the roar of aircraft flying over the city was heard repeatedly for the first time since Israel’s initial attacks.The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at the nuclear sites and Tehran said Sunday there were no signs of contamination.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters in Istanbul the United States and Israel had “crossed a very big red line,” asserting Iran would continue to defend itself “by all means necessary.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the US strikes, saying Trump’s decision to “target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history.”The Israeli military was also checking the results of the US raid on the deeply buried nuclear facility in Fordo, with a spokesman saying it was “too soon” to know if Iran had removed enriched uranium from the site.The main US strike group was seven B-2 Spirit bombers flying 18 hours from the US mainland to Iran with multiple aerial refuelings, Caine said.- Global concern -In response to the US attack, Iran’s armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport, the country’s main international gateway near Tel Aviv.Israeli rescuers said at least 23 people were wounded.In Jerusalem, Claudio Hazan, a 62-year-old software engineer, said he hoped the US intervention would hasten an end to the Iran-Israel war.”Israel by itself would not stop… and it would take longer,” he said.Israel said it had launched fresh strikes on western Iran and in Qom, south of Tehran. Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported four Revolutionary Guard members were killed in strikes on a military base in the city’s north.The Israeli military said it had “struck missile launchers ready to launch toward Israeli territory, soldiers in the Iranian Armed Forces, and swiftly neutralized the launchers that launched missiles toward Israeli territory.”Iran’s Shargh newspaper reported that a “massive explosion was heard” Sunday in Bushehr province, home to Iran’s only nuclear power plant.Iranian news agencies also reported strikes in Yazd province.The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticized the US move and urged de-escalation.The European Union called on all sides “to step back,” while stressing Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.The Iranian foreign minister said he would travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.Following his address, Trump warned Iran against retaliation. Iran and its proxies have previously attacked US military bases in Iraq and elsewhere in the region.Iran’s Huthi allies in Yemen on Sunday repeated their threat to resume attacks in the Red Sea if Washington joined the war, saying they were ready to target US ships and warships.The US president had stepped up his rhetoric against Iran since Israel first struck the country on June 13, repeating his insistence it could never have nuclear weapons.Tehran denies seeking an atomic bomb. On Saturday, President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran’s right to pursue a civilian nuclear program “cannot be taken away… by threats or war.”burs-wd/bgs/ft

A series of unprecedented US strikes against Iran “devastated” its nuclear programme, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday, as he asserted Washington was not seeking regime change in Tehran. The Pentagon chief urged Iran’s leaders to find an off-ramp to the conflict after President Donald Trump announced the strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.”We devastated the Iranian nuclear programme,” Hegseth told a Pentagon press briefing, adding that the operation “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people”.Trump “seeks peace, and Iran should take that path”, Hegseth continued. “This mission was not, and has not, been about regime change,” he added.Trump’s intervention — despite his past pledges to avoid another “forever war” — threatens to dramatically widen the conflict after Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran last week, with Tehran vowing to retaliate if Washington joined in.Earlier the US president said Washington would hit more targets if Tehran did not capitulate. Hours later, Iran launched two waves of attacks against its long-time foe Israel.”Iran the bully of the Middle East must now make peace,” Trump said, warning future attacks would be “far greater” unless a diplomatic solution was reached. “Remember, there are many targets left,” he added.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of sabotaging diplomacy after talks with European powers.”This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy,” he wrote on X.Araghchi later told reporters in Istanbul the United States and Israel had “crossed a very big red line”, asserting Iran would continue to defend itself “by all means necessary”.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the US strikes, saying the attack revealed Washington was the “main factor behind” Israel’s military campaign.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the US strikes, saying Trump’s decision to “target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history”.-‘Morning of alarms’-The Israeli military said it was checking the results of the US raid on the deeply buried nuclear facility in Fordo, with a spokesman saying it was “too soon” to know if Iran had removed enriched uranium from the key site or if it had been buried in the attack.US Vice President JD Vance maintained his country was “not at war with Iran, we’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program”.He added the strikes had “substantially delayed” the development of a nuclear weapon — something Iran has long denied pursuing.Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said the “main strike package comprised of 7 B-2 Spirit bombers” flying 18 hours from the US mainland to Iran with multiple aerial refuelings.The head of Iran’s Red Crescent Society, Pir Hossein Kolivand, said there were no fatalities in the US strikes on the nuclear facilities, according to Iranian state television.In response to the US attack, Iran’s armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport, the country’s main international gateway near Tel Aviv.Israeli rescuers said at least 23 people were wounded. Police said at least three impacts were reported.One of them was the Ramat Aviv area of Tel Aviv, tearing holes in the facades of apartment blocks.In Jerusalem, Claudio Hazan, a 62-year-old software engineer, said he hoped the US intervention would hasten an end to the Iran-Israel war. “Israel by itself would not stop… and it would take longer,” he said.David, a 43-year-old Jerusalem resident, told AFP: “We’re all happy that the US is lending a hand.”Israel said it had launched fresh strikes on western Iran and in Qom, south of Tehran. Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported four Revolutionary Guard members were killed in strikes on a military base in the city’s north.The Israeli military said it had “struck missile launchers ready to launch toward Israeli territory, soldiers in the Iranian Armed Forces, and swiftly neutralised the launchers that launched missiles toward Israeli territory a short while ago”.Iran’s Shargh newspaper reported that a “massive explosion was heard” Sunday in Bushehr province, home to Iran’s only nuclear power plant.- ‘Step Back’ -Iranian news agencies also reported strikes in Yazd province.In Tehran, AFP journalists said the roar of aircraft flying over the city could be heard repeatedly for the first time since Israel’s initial attacks.The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at key nuclear sites in Iran following the strikes and Tehran said Sunday there were “no signs of contamination”.Saudi Arabia said no radioactive effects were detected in the Gulf and voiced “great concern” over the US strikes.The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticised the US move and urged de-escalation.The European Union called on all sides “to step back”, while stressing Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Iran to “return to the negotiating table” over its nuclear ambitions.The Iranian foreign minister said he would travel to Moscow for “serious consultations” with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.Following his address, Trump warned Iran against “any retaliation”. Iran and its proxies have previously attacked US military bases in Iraq and elsewhere in the region.Iran’s Huthi allies in Yemen on Sunday repeated their threat to resume attacks in the Red Sea if Washington joined the war, saying they were “ready to target US ships and warships”.The US president had stepped up his rhetoric against Iran since Israel first struck Iran on June 13, repeating his insistence it could never have nuclear weapons.Tehran denies seeking an atomic bomb. On Saturday, President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran’s right to pursue a civilian nuclear programme “cannot be taken away… by threats or war”.burs-csp/smw