Escalation In the Middle East: Iran Strikes Back Over US Nuclear Attack

Iran stood firm and warned the US for its involvement in the recent crisis with Israel and attacking its nuclear facilities. 

Iran’s nuclear sites hit:

The US has targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities. Iran slammed the US attack on its nuclear facilities. It declared that the bombardment “expanded the range of legitimate targets for its armed forces.” Trump’s decision to deploy massive bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear sites marked a significant deepening of the Israel–Iran–US conflict.

Tehran’s striking warning:

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarter’s spokesperson, Ebrahim Zolfaqari, warned the US about the consequences of its attack on Tehran. He said, “Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it.”

Also Read: Pakistan Emphasizes De-escalation Amid Iran–Israel Conflict

Zolfaqari underscored Iran’s readiness ro continue retaliatory missile strikes on Israel but refrained from directly targeting US interests. 

Trump’s objectives:

Trump’s major goal is to destroy the nuclear facilities of Iran so that Iran cannot be the next nuclear power. Trump after attacking the Iran’s nuclear facility, wrote on his truth social media account, and said, “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”

Fordow plant severely damaged:

The satellite imagery showed that the US strike caused “severely damaged” facilities at Iran’s Fordow nuclear plant. Though independent confirmation is pending. Trump celebrated on social media and wrote, “Bullseye!!! Monumental damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran. The biggest damage took place far below ground level.”

Israel’s air campaign gains momentum:

Israel intensified its strikes than normal after the US involvement in the conflict. The Israeli military reported a surge involving 20 jets targeting military sites in western Iran and Tehran overnight, strikes on missile and radar installations in Kermanshah, a hit on a surface-to-air missile launcher within Tehran and attacks at Parchin. Iranian agencies confirmed that air defenses were activated in central Tehran amid ongoing aerial assaults.

Casualty figures soar on both sides:

Iran claimed that more than 400 people were killed in the Israeli bombing on Tehran while Iran’s missile strikes on Israel killed 24 civilians. In central Israel, air raid sirens blared as one Iranian missile was intercepted, though the night brought widespread fear.

US pushback and diplomatic moves:

The Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented, “It’s economic suicide for them if they do it. And we retain options to deal with that.” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. In Istanbul, Araqchi warned there would be “no return to diplomacy” until Iran retaliated and confirmed that Iran and Russia were coordinating their positions.