Trump's hammer blow

THE US ended Iran’s nuclear ambitions with daring air strikes that experts warn could plunge the world into a new age of terrorism.

- By Marco Giannangeli Diplomatic Editor

B2 stealth planes carrying 30,000-pound “bunker busting” bombs hit three Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday night in an 18-hour raid dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, marking a significant shift in US involvement.

Donald Trump's targets included the mountain-buried bunker at Fordow, where Iran was holding 3,000 nuclear centrifuges, which took six MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) bombs to neutralise.

Iran was quick to warn the US it faced “everlasting consequences” for joining Israel’s attacks and insisted it would not engage in diplomatic talks while it was under threat of aggression. Also destroyed were the Natanz uranium enrichment plant previously hit by Israel and a site near Isfahan, believed to store near bomb-grade uranium.

Barrage

Announcing the attacks on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: “All planes are now outside of Iranian airspace. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!”

But Iran launched a ballistic missile barrage against Israel in retaliation to the US action on Sunday morning. The Revolutionary Guard said it launched 40 missiles, including its Khorramshahr-4 missile which it claims can contain multiple warheads.

Israel said the Iranian attacks had wounded more than 80 people.