US President Donald Trump declared that American forces had carried out a successful strike on three nuclear facilities in Iran — specifically Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The announcement, made via Trump’s Truth Social platform on Saturday, detailed that all aircraft involved in the mission had exited Iranian airspace without incident.
“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,” Trump posted.
In the days leading up to this operation, US defence officials had indicated a build-up of military assets, including the deployment of B-2 stealth bombers to Guam. While no direct link to the Middle East tensions was officially confirmed, analysts speculated that the move might be tied to escalating hostilities involving Iran and Israel. The B-2, capable of carrying the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator — a weapon tailored for targeting fortified underground sites — was seen as a potential instrument in neutralising Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Observers are also monitoring whether these bombers could be moved to Diego Garcia, a US-British military base strategically positioned in the Indian Ocean. Until last month, B-2 bombers had been stationed there before being replaced by B-52s.
Meanwhile, the conflict between Iran and Israel has intensified. Israel claimed on Saturday it had eliminated a senior Iranian military figure amid ongoing hostilities, now over a week old. In response, Iranian officials reiterated their refusal to enter nuclear negotiations while under military pressure.
While Israel maintains that Iran is nearing the capability to produce nuclear weapons, Tehran continues to assert that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
President Trump has indicated he will take up to two weeks to decide whether to formally involve the United States in support of Israel, citing a desire to assess “whether or not people come to their senses.”
Reuters previously reported a surge in US military movements, including aerial refuelling tankers being sent to Europe and an aircraft carrier shifting from the Indo-Pacific towards the Middle East. Additional fighter jets were also reportedly being deployed to the region.
The B-2 can be equipped to carry America’s 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, designed to destroy targets deep underground. That is the weapon that experts say could be used to strike Iran’s nuclear program, including Fordow.
