President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday night that the United States launched precision airstrikes against Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities, marking a significant military escalation in response to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
Speaking from the White House, flanked by Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Trump said the coordinated attacks on Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were a “spectacular military success.”
“Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump announced.
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“Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.”
The strikes mark the most significant U.S. military action against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure to date.
The Fordow facility, in particular, had long been considered one of Iran’s most heavily fortified sites, buried deep under a mountain near Qom.
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The targeting of these locations appears intended to disable Iran’s nuclear capabilities and demonstrate the administration’s willingness to escalate if necessary.
The announcement immediately triggered condemnation from progressive and anti-war voices in the media and among left-wing elected officials, who called the strikes unconstitutional and warned of further destabilization in the Middle East.
“This is a war crime,” wrote Mehdi Hasan, editor-in-chief of Zeteo, on X.
“And a violation of the UN Charter and the NPT. The ‘antiwar president.’ What a disgrace.”
This is a war crime. And a violation of the UN Charter and the NPT.
The ‘antiwar president’. What a disgrace. https://t.co/7CLTZ65g7G
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) June 22, 2025
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., accused Trump of bypassing Congressional authority and called the move grounds for impeachment.
“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” Ocasio-Cortez posted.
“He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”
The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers.
He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations.
It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 22, 2025
Tommy Vietor, a former Obama administration official and co-host of the podcast Pod Save America, also criticized the administration’s decision.
“Obama’s Iran nuclear deal was working until Trump pulled out of it,” Vietor said.
“His own staff warned him not to because the alternative was war. Well, now we’re at war with Iran because Trump is weak, stupid and hated Obama more than he cared about preventing Iran from getting a nuke.”
Obama’s Iran nuclear deal was working until Trump pulled out of it. His own staff warned him not to because the alternative was war. Well, now we’re at war with Iran because Trump is weak, stupid and hated Obama more than he cared about preventing Iran from getting a nuke. pic.twitter.com/FwqB7W7OM7
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) June 22, 2025
Sana Saeed, a political commentator and media critic, framed the operation as a broader entry into war.
“The U.S. government authorized strikes on a sovereign nation at the behest of a foreign country currently waging war against that nation (and others),” Saeed wrote.
“The U.S., with these strikes, has entered the war on Iran.”
Lots of speculation about the U.S. strikes as performative, about Iran getting tipped off (as tho any country wouldn’t preemptively protect its targeted assets). Don’t fall into it. The U.S. government authorized strikes on a sovereign nation at the behest of a foreign country… https://t.co/zD1QwUZqX4
— Sana Saeed (@SanaSaeed) June 22, 2025
Former MSNBC host Krystal Ball, a frequent critic of Israel, said, “Trump did not get ‘dragged’ into war. He wasn’t caught off guard by the Israeli bombing. He greenlit a regime change operation after pledging repeatedly to bomb Iran on the campaign trail.”
Trump did not get “dragged” into war. He wasn’t caught off guard by the Israeli bombing. He greenlit a regime change operation after pledging repeatedly to bomb Iran on the campaign trail. Every one of these supposed anti-war MAGA officials are absolute frauds.
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) June 22, 2025
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes added, “Just to be crystal clear: bombing Iran is completely illegal,” while Judd Legum, former editor of ThinkProgress, posted, “America has entered another unnecessary war in the Middle East.”
Trita Parsi, founder of the National Iranian American Council, said Saturday on MSNBC that the U.S. strike could ultimately backfire.
“Trump just guaranteed that Iran will be a nuclear weapons state in the next 5 to 10 years. Particularly if the regime changes,” Parsi said.
Trump just guaranteed that Iran will be a nuclear weapons state in the next 5 to 10 years.
Particularly if the regime changes.
— Trita Parsi (@tparsi) June 22, 2025
The Pentagon has not yet released additional operational details on the damage assessment, but Trump’s remarks indicated confidence that the targets were effectively neutralized.
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