Iran has threatened to retaliate against US bases in the Middle East following devastating American air strikes on its nuclear facilities. The attacks, launched by the US on Saturday, targeted key sites including Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz, which Washington claims severely crippled Iran’s nuclear program.
Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned that any country hosting US forces involved in the strikes could become a target. “Any nation that aids the US in attacking Iran will be considered a legitimate military target,” he said via Iran’s official news agency, IRNA. He also declared that the US “must await irreparable consequences.”
President Donald Trump, who authorized the surprise operation, described it as a major success. He said the strikes removed Iran’s ability to create a nuclear bomb, claiming, “We had a spectacular military success yesterday, taking the ‘bomb’ right out of their hands.”
At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the objective was to destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, not to harm civilians or troops. General Dan Caine noted that while early assessments show extensive destruction at all three sites, it was still too soon to determine the full extent of the damage.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian pledged a strong response, while large crowds gathered in Tehran to protest the strikes. Many Iranians expressed shock and fear over the situation. One woman in Semnan province, far from the targeted areas, said she was “very concerned” for people near the sites.
Vice President JD Vance echoed Trump’s optimism, saying the US had set Iran’s nuclear ambitions back significantly. However, he admitted that Iran may still hold a stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which the US now aims to neutralize.
Iran’s leadership remains defiant. Ali Shamkhani, another Khamenei aide, insisted that the destruction of nuclear sites does not end Iran’s nuclear potential, citing the country’s retained knowledge and enriched materials.
International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi confirmed visible damage at the Fordo site but said radiation levels had not increased. He warned that attacks on nuclear facilities could carry serious risks.
Meanwhile, Israel hailed the US operation, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praying for Trump and calling the strikes “historic.” However, Israel also suffered retaliatory missile attacks from Iran, wounding at least 23 people near Tel Aviv.
Fighting between the two countries has intensified. Iran’s health ministry reports over 400 Iranians killed in Israeli strikes, while Iran’s counterattacks have left 24 dead in Israel. Iran also lost nine Revolutionary Guards members on Sunday.
Regional powers including the UAE, Qatar, and Oman condemned the US strikes and urged restraint. The UN Secretary-General warned of escalating retaliation. Yemen’s Huthi rebels, aligned with Iran, also threatened to attack US ships if Washington escalates the conflict.
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