U.S. Strikes Iranian Nuclear Sites as Israel-Iran Conflict Intensifies

June 21, 2025 – The Middle East faces a deepening crisis as the United States directly intervened in the ongoing war between Israel and Iran, launching airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, according to U.S. officials. The conflict, now in its second week, has seen both sides exchange hundreds of missiles and drones, resulting in mounting civilian casualties and fears of a broader regional war.

U.S. warplanes carried out what President Donald Trump described as “successful” strikes on nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, targeting key components of Iran’s uranium enrichment program. The Fordow site, buried deep in Iran’s mountainous terrain, was hit with a 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bomb, a weapon specifically designed to penetrate fortified underground facilities. Iranian authorities confirmed the attacks and reported that the targeted sites had been evacuated prior to the strikes, limiting immediate casualties but raising concerns about long-term nuclear safety.

Israel, which initiated the latest phase of hostilities by targeting Iranian nuclear military installations and high-ranking officers, has focused its campaign on degrading Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Israeli strikes have hit centrifuge production facilities in Isfahan, laboratories, and the Arak heavy water reactor, while also targeting missile forces and air defenses. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verified that a centrifuge manufacturing workshop at Isfahan was struck but noted that no nuclear materials were present, averting radiological consequences.

Meanwhile, Iran has retaliated with approximately 450 missiles and 1,000 drones directed at Israel. Most of these projectiles were intercepted by Israel’s advanced air defense systems, but at least 24 deaths and numerous injuries have been reported in Israel, including damage to a hospital and a residential building in Petah Tikva.

The Arab League has condemned Israel’s actions as a violation of international law and a threat to regional security, calling for a return to diplomacy. The United Nations and the IAEA have urged restraint, with IAEA Director Rafael Grossi warning that an assault on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant could result in a significant release of radioactivity, posing grave environmental risks.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry declared further nuclear talks with the United States “meaningless” but did not cancel them outright. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi cautioned that U.S. involvement in the conflict would be “very dangerous for everyone.” The international community continues to call for de-escalation as fears grow of an uncontrollable regional conflagration.