U.S. Launches Strikes on Iran

By Elke Porter | Breaking News | June 21, 2025
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The United States has launched a series of targeted airstrikes on Iran, deploying B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to attack the deeply buried Fordo nuclear facility near Qom, according to senior U.S. defense officials. The move marks a dramatic escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict, drawing the U.S. directly into the fray for the first time since Israeli strikes began on June 12.

The bombers, capable of carrying 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator bunker-buster bombs, departed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri late Friday. Their mission was confirmed Saturday evening as satellite imagery and eyewitness reports showed multiple explosions at the Fordo complex. Pentagon officials stated the mission was a “precision strike” aimed at disrupting Iran’s ability to enrich uranium.

President Trump, who returned to the White House from his Bedminster, N.J. property earlier in the day, is currently meeting with his national security team. A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the president personally authorized the operation after reviewing intelligence reports suggesting Iran was accelerating its nuclear program underground.

“We had credible evidence that Iran was rapidly enriching uranium at levels that crossed multiple red lines,” the official said.

The U.S. strike was reportedly accompanied by additional deployments of F-22, F-35, and F-16 fighter aircraft now stationed at key bases across the Middle East. Military officials said the jets will serve both to support further bombing runs and to protect U.S. personnel and assets in the region from retaliatory attacks.

Iranian media has yet to confirm the full scale of the damage at Fordo, though initial reports indicate “significant casualties” among Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard forces and nuclear technicians. Iran’s military leadership is expected to issue a formal response within hours.

Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its campaign, striking centrifuge production facilities in Isfahan and the Tehran Research Center, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. While the I.A.E.A. confirmed that no radiological material was present at the attacked sites, the broader implications are dire.

President Trump’s decision ends weeks of speculation about U.S. involvement and marks a sharp pivot away from diplomatic efforts that had dominated the administration’s Iran policy until recently. The president had previously given Tehran “two weeks” to re-enter negotiations — a deadline now rendered moot.

The situation remains fluid. Analysts warn that Iran could retaliate with cyberattacks, regional proxy strikes, or direct missile attacks on U.S. or Israeli assets, potentially triggering a wider conflict.

Stay with The Times for continuing coverage of this rapidly developing story.

Developing:

Pentagon to brief reporters at 8:30 p.m. ET
Iran’s Supreme Leader convenes emergency session
NATO allies issue urgent statements

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TAGS: #US Iran Conflict #B2 Bombers #Fordo Strike #Middle East Tensions #Trump Decision #Nuclear Facilities #Breaking News #WBN News Global #Elke Porter

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