The U.S. successfully bombed three Iranian nuclear sites – Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan – according to U.S. President Donald Trump, who said a full payload of bombs were delivered on the sites.
"We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter," he posted on Truth Social on Saturday.
The strikes come 48 hours after he said the U.S. was allowing a two-week window for last-ditch diplomatic efforts, though he took a skeptical tone on the prospects of diplomacy following Iran's meeting with European powers in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday.
The strikes either during or shortly after Trump's national security meeting at the White House, which came on the heels of dramatically increased U.S. military presence in the Middle East – including the B2 bombers meant to deliver the bunker-busting bombs at sites like Fordow.
Trump said on Friday that only the U.S. had the capability to strike these sites, though Israeli officials had told their American counterparts that they would take matters into their own hands had Trump used his entire stated two-week window.
Trump's decision to directly involve the U.S. in the war comes amid fierce debate over the consequences of U.S. military intervention, with much of his base insisting that such action would be a betrayal of the America First ideology underlaying his political platform.
Iran has vowed to retaliate against any American military escalation, with U.S. soldiers and military bases and shipping lanes all standing to be potential targets. U.S. officials have also been concerned about the potential for sleeper cells targeting American interests, either within the U.S. or abroad.
