Iran issued a stern warning to US military bases across the Middle East on Sunday after a series of US air strikes targeted and reportedly destroyed key Iranian nuclear facilities. While Washington hailed the operation as a decisive blow to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, some officials cautioned that the full extent of the damage remains uncertain.
The unprecedented US attacks have heightened international fears of escalating tensions in an already volatile region, especially following Israel’s recent bombing campaign against Iranian targets earlier this month.
Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared that any countries allowing US forces to launch attacks from their territory would be considered legitimate military targets for Iran’s armed forces. Speaking through the state-run IRNA news agency, he said,
*”America has attacked the heart of the Islamic world and must expect irreparable consequences.”*
US President Donald Trump, who authorized the surprise strikes involving powerful “bunker buster” bombs, targeted underground uranium enrichment facilities at Fordo as well as nuclear sites in Isfahan and Natanz. On social media, Trump celebrated the operation as a “spectacular military success,” claiming it had removed the “bomb” from Iran’s hands.
Pentagon officials confirmed the destruction of Iran’s nuclear program but emphasized the strikes did not target Iranian civilians or troops. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the damage as “devastating,” though General Dan Caine cautioned it was too early to confirm what nuclear capabilities might remain.
In response, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed retaliation, while thousands rallied in Tehran protesting US and Israeli actions. In Semnan province, resident Samireh expressed deep concern for those living near the damaged sites.
Vice President JD Vance reiterated that the US had set back Iran’s nuclear progress significantly, though he admitted Iran still possesses enriched uranium stockpiles. Another advisor to Khamenei, Ali Shamkhani, warned that the destruction of facilities would not end Iran’s nuclear ambitions, citing “enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, and political will” as ongoing factors.
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, reported visible damage at Fordo but noted the underground facilities’ condition was yet to be assessed. The agency has not detected any radiation leaks following the attacks.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the US strikes as historic, praying for President Trump at Jerusalem’s Western Wall. Meanwhile, Israel’s military assessed the impact of the US raid amid uncertainty over Iran’s nuclear stockpile removals.
The US strike involved seven B-2 Spirit bombers flying 18 hours non-stop from the US mainland. Iran retaliated with missile attacks on sites in Israel, including Ben Gurion airport, wounding at least 23 people.
Clashes continue, with Iranian Revolutionary Guards reporting at least nine killed in Israeli attacks. Since the conflict escalated, over 400 deaths have been reported from Israeli strikes on Iran, while Iranian attacks on Israel have claimed 24 lives.
Regional mediators such as the UAE, Qatar, and Oman condemned the US strikes and called for de-escalation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of a dangerous cycle of retaliation.
Iran’s allied Huthi rebels in Yemen also threatened to resume Red Sea attacks against US ships if the conflict intensifies.
