The United States has launched a direct military strike on Iran, targeting three major nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. President Trump announced the operation Saturday evening, saying US B-2 stealth bombers “successfully” completed the mission and safely exited Iranian airspace.

“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,” he wrote on Truth Social, calling it a “very successful military operation” and adding, “This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR,” as reported by KRON4.

As Associated Press reports, Trump is expected to address the nation at 10 p.m. ET from the White House. The strikes mark a dramatic escalation of tensions in the region, with the US joining Israel’s military campaign against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. According to CNN, the decision came after more than a week of Israeli air raids that had already degraded Iran’s air defenses and damaged several military and nuclear sites.

The three sites targeted are central to Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Fordow is an underground enrichment facility built into a mountainside near Qom, considered one of the most heavily fortified sites in Iran. Natanz is Iran’s largest uranium enrichment facility, while Isfahan hosts a major nuclear research complex. The US is the only country with the bunker-busting GBU-57 bombs required to strike deeply buried targets like Fordow.

Iranian state media acknowledged explosions near Qom but claimed the facilities had been evacuated “some time ago.” Satellite and other intelligence assessments are now underway to determine the extent of the damage, according to retired Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, who spoke with CNN.

Reactions to the strike were divided. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham called it “the right call,” while Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib warned that it risks dragging the US into another war. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized the attack as “grossly unconstitutional.” Trump’s decision not to consult the full “Gang of Eight” ahead of the strikes also drew criticism; top Republicans were briefed, while Democratic intelligence leaders were not.

While President Trump maintains that the operation is limited to Iran’s nuclear program and not the start of a broader war, Iranian retaliation remains a real risk. “This is not an expanded campaign,” one administration official told CNN. “They still want to get back to the path of a diplomatic arrangement.”

See live updates via CNN and Al Jazeera.

Image: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 21: A man who asked not to be identified holds an Iranian and an upside down American flag while people gather for a "No War with Iran x Israel and Immigrants" on June 7, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. The U.S. President Donald Trump announced air strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran. (Photo by Apu Gomes/Getty Images)