‘Completely and Totally Obliterated’: U.S. Strikes Iranian Nuclear Facilities, Including Underground Fordow Enrichment Site

Latest Developments

• U.S. Bombs Iran: The United States bombed three key Iranian nuclear facilities on June 21, including the heavily fortified, underground nuclear enrichment facility at Fordow, the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, and a third site near Isfahan where Tehran is believed to be storing nuclear near weapons-grade uranium. “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” Trump asserted in an address to the nation. “Iran, the ‘bully of the Middle East,’ must now make peace.” Trump added that if the regime declined to do so, the U.S. would launch further strikes that would be “greater and easier.”
• Massive Ordnance Penetrators Reportedly Deployed: President Donald Trump announced the operation on social media at 7:53 p.m. after all U.S. planes left Iranian airspace. The U.S. reportedly used six  Air Force B-2A Spirit stealth bombers to drop a dozen 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP) bombs on Fordow. The Natanz and Esfahan nuclear sites — which have both been struck multiple times by Israel since June 13 — were also struck by 30 Tomahawk missiles from U.S. Navy submarines. One of the bombers also dropped two bunker buster bombs on Natanz.
• Israel and U.S. ‘Worked as a Team’: Trump thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his address to America, expressing gratitude in his televised remarks for the “wonderful job” performed by Israel’s military and observing that Israel and the U.S. “worked as a team, like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we’ve gone a long way to eliminate this horrible threat to Israel.” For his part, Netanyahu praised Trump’s “bold decision” to target Iranian nuclear sites. “History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons,” he said. “President Trump and I often say, ‘peace through strength’; first comes strength, then comes peace.”

FDD Expert Response

“Until the eleventh hour, the Islamist regime had the option to pursue negotiations with the U.S. Instead, Khamenei chose to reject that path. The result: President Trump’s decisive action — a defining moment in the strategic alignment between the U.S. and Israel. This marks a significant shift for the region, with the primary threat to American and Israeli security significantly degraded. But we must curb our enthusiasm: the regime retains deadly capabilities — missiles, terror cells and proxies — which can still do serious damage.” — Mark Dubowitz, CEO

“I was in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. I heard the first shouts of ‘Marg bar Esrāʾil!’ and ‘Marg bar Āmrikā!’ — ‘Death to Israel!’ and ‘Death to America!’ This was an ‘endless war’ until President Trump made the decision to end it by defanging Iran’s brutal Islamist rulers. A display of astounding vision and courage on his part.” —Clifford D. May, Founder and President

 “Right weapons for the right targets. This was the least the United States could do to support our Israeli partners in addressing the threat from Iran — a charter member of the axis of aggressors.” — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has made its intentions amply clear in words and deeds that it seeks to bring great harm to the United States and to destroy Israel. Some have chosen to ignore the clerical regime’s record of terror against Americans around the world. While the bold action taken today by the United States will not end Tehran’s malign intentions, it will certainly hamper its ability to act with the nuclear-backed lethality it had just 24 hours ago. There is a collective sigh of relief from those Iran has for too long threatened and intimidated.” — Toby Dershowitz, Managing Director, FDD Action

“Israel’s intelligence and military campaign against Iran and President Trump’s deception effort to assist these past weeks — as well as his decision to strike the final blow — will be studied by historians for generations to come. President Trump and the United States finished the job that Israel started by eliminating the remaining vestiges of Iran’s atomic weapons program. By doing so, the two countries made clear that the Tehran regime cannot have nuclear weapons and threaten the region and the world.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow

FDD Background and Analysis

“US strikes Iranian nuclear facilities,” by Bill Roggio

“Iranian and Iranian-Backed Attacks Against Americans (1979-Present),” by Tzvi Kahn

“‘Blood of Thousands of Israelis is on His Hands’: IRGC Commander Who Backed October 7 Massacre Among Key Leaders Eliminated in IDF Precision Strikes,” FDD Flash Brief

“A major battle in The Long War,” by Clifford D. May