The Middle East into a broader and more catastrophic war, the United States launched air strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday. The strikes, which President Donald Trump hailed as a \u201chistoric act of preemption,\u201d have drawn sharp rebukes from global powers and triggered grave warnings from Iran\u2019s top leadership, as the Iran-Israel war entered its 11th day.<\/strong><\/p>\nIran\u2019s government, already engaged in an intensifying military confrontation with Israel, reacted with fury. In a televised address early Monday, Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces, called the strikes a \u201chostile act\u201d that would have \u201cserious, unpredictable consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis hostile act\u2026 will widen the scope of legitimate targets of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and pave the way for the extension of war in the region,\u201d Zolfaghari declared.<\/p>\n
He warned that Iran\u2019s military would now consider American assets in the region as fair game, raising fears that U.S. bases in Iraq, the Persian Gulf, and even further afield could come under retaliatory attack.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fighters of Islam will inflict serious, unpredictable consequences on you with powerful and targeted military operations,\u201d Zolfaghari added.<\/p>\n
U.S. President Donald Trump wasted no time in claiming success. In a dramatic Sunday night address from the White House, Trump said that Iran\u2019s \u201ckey nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,\u201d Trump declared.<\/p>\n
Military analysts later confirmed that the U.S. strikes targeted Natanz, Fordow, and Arak\u2014facilities long suspected by Western intelligence of supporting Iran\u2019s nuclear weapons program. Initial satellite imagery released by commercial intelligence firms showed large-scale destruction at all three sites, with evidence of deep-penetration ordnance used against hardened underground structures.<\/p>\n
While the Pentagon has not released casualty figures, unofficial sources in Tehran reported dozens of deaths, including technical staff and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stationed at the sites.<\/p>\n
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the U.S. strikes as \u201coutrageous,\u201d \u201clawless,\u201d and \u201ccriminal,\u201d stating that Iran retained the sovereign right to defend itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe events this morning will have everlasting consequences,\u201d Araghchi warned on X. \u201cThe United States and Israel have crossed a very big red line.\u201d<\/p>\n
He later confirmed he would travel to Moscow for emergency consultations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring Tehran\u2019s intention to internationalize the crisis diplomatically even as it prepares for potential military retaliation.<\/p>\n
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an immediate congratulatory message to President Trump, praising the U.S. strikes as \u201cbold,\u201d \u201crighteous,\u201d and \u201chistoric.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour bold decision to target Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history,\u201d Netanyahu said in a video address.<\/p>\n
At a press conference late Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated his government\u2019s strategic objectives: \u201cdestroying Iran\u2019s nuclear and missile capabilities\u201d and \u201cremoving the existential threat posed by the regime in Tehran.\u201d He added that Israel was \u201cvery, very close to completing\u201d these objectives.<\/p>\n
Analysts say that Israel has likely coordinated with the U.S. in targeting Iran\u2019s military and infrastructure over the past 11 days, but Sunday\u2019s direct American intervention marks a turning point.<\/p>\n
The international response to the escalation has been swift and polarized.<\/p>\n
European Union<\/p>\n
The EU\u2019s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, urged all parties to \u201cstep back\u201d and \u201cprevent further escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, but the path forward must be diplomacy,\u201d she said. EU foreign ministers will meet Monday to discuss the rapidly deteriorating situation.<\/p>\n
Russia<\/p>\n
Moscow reacted with fury. The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes as a \u201cgross violation of international law\u201d and warned that the situation was \u201cfraught with further undermining of regional and global security.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kremlin sources confirmed that President Putin would meet with Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister in an attempt to coordinate a response.<\/p>\n
China<\/p>\n
China\u2019s foreign ministry \u201cstrongly condemned\u201d the strikes, calling them \u201cirresponsible\u201d and \u201cescalatory.\u201d It urged \u201call parties to cease fire, especially Israel,\u201d and warned that further instability in the Middle East could have ripple effects across Asia and beyond.<\/p>\n
United Nations<\/p>\n
UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres called the attacks a \u201cdangerous escalation in a region already on the edge.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace,\u201d Guterres said in a statement.<\/p>\n
France and the UK<\/p>\n
French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting of his defense council. His office said he had spoken with leaders from Saudi Arabia and Oman, urging de-escalation and dialogue.<\/p>\n
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer echoed this sentiment, stating: \u201cIran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and the U.S. has taken action to alleviate that threat.\u201d However, he emphasized the need for \u201ca diplomatic solution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Australia and India<\/p>\n
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave qualified support for the U.S. strikes, calling them \u201cpreventive,\u201d but warned against a \u201cfull-scale war.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a phone call with Iran\u2019s President Masoud Pezeshkian and urged \u201cimmediate de-escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDialogue and diplomacy are the way forward,\u201d Modi said.<\/p>\n
Muslim World: Deep Concern and Outrage<\/p>\n
Saudi Arabia expressed \u201cgreat concern\u201d and called for \u201crestraint.\u201d Pakistan condemned the strikes as violations of international law, stating that Iran had \u201cthe right to defend itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) warned that the attacks \u201cthreaten regional security, peace, and stability,\u201d calling for \u201cdialogue and peaceful means.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hamas and Yemen\u2019s Houthi rebels issued fierce condemnations. Hamas called the strikes \u201ca flagrant violation of international law,\u201d while the Houthis declared \u201cfull support\u201d for Iran and described the attack as \u201ca declaration of war.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, reports surfaced of Iranian missile deployments in western Iran, close to the Iraqi border. U.S. troops stationed at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq and Al Udeid in Qatar were reportedly placed on high alert.<\/p>\n
Hezbollah, Iran\u2019s Lebanese proxy, launched a barrage of rockets into northern Israel in what it called \u201can opening response.\u201d Israel\u2019s Iron Dome intercepted several, but local authorities reported casualties and infrastructure damage.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, maritime tensions also rose sharply. U.S. Navy ships in the Persian Gulf were seen maneuvering in defensive formations, and the Strait of Hormuz\u2014through which a third of global oil passes\u2014was effectively turned into a warzone.<\/p>\n
Global oil prices surged 14% on Monday morning in Asia, reaching $108 per barrel amid fears of supply disruptions. Stock markets in Tokyo and Hong Kong opened sharply lower, and gold spiked to a five-year high as investors sought safe havens.<\/p>\n
Legal experts and international observers are now debating the legality of the U.S. strikes. While the White House claimed self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, critics argue that the action lacked a clear mandate.<\/p>\n
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch both expressed concern about civilian casualties and urged full transparency.<\/p>\n
\u201cTargeting nuclear facilities is extremely dangerous. It risks radioactive contamination and sets a troubling precedent,\u201d said Amnesty\u2019s Middle East director.<\/p>\n
Others pointed to the broader implications of the strikes. If Iran resumes or accelerates its military response, the region could face the gravest war since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003\u2014or even since the Gulf War.<\/p>\n
The next few days are critical. Iran\u2019s leadership must now choose between immediate military retaliation, which could provoke a direct U.S.-Iran war, or a slower, more calculated response through proxies and cyberattacks.<\/p>\n
Israel is reportedly preparing for a prolonged conflict, having called up over 200,000 reservists. The United States has deployed additional naval assets, including the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, to the region.<\/p>\n
Diplomatic backchannels are said to be active between Russia, China, and several Gulf states, trying to engineer a ceasefire or at least establish red lines. However, with blood already spilled and major infrastructure destroyed, optimism remains scarce.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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