Trump: US, Israel wipe out Iran’s nuclear sites, peace or tragedy now Iran’s choice

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Saturday declared that American airstrikes have “completely and fully obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear sites, following a series of coordinated attacks carried out with Israeli forces. 

Speaking at the White House late Saturday night, Trump revealed that the US military had struck three major nuclear facilities in Iran, marking a dramatic escalation in efforts to dismantle Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Trump emphasised that the operation was a result of close collaboration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing their partnership as “perhaps” unlike any seen before. 

“We worked as a team,” Trump said, noting that no other military in the world except for the United States could have executed such a complex mission.

The president said that Iran’s heavily fortified nuclear sites – including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan – were targeted and destroyed with advanced US weaponry, including B-2 stealth bombers and massive bunker-busting bombs. 

Trump also issued a stern warning to Tehran, stating that Iran must now choose between “peace or tragedy,” and cautioned that any retaliatory attack against the US would provoke even stronger military action. “If they do not [choose peace], future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier,” Trump warned.

Framing the strike as a response to longstanding hostility, Trump described Iran as “the bully of the Middle East,” and said the action was necessary to prevent the regime from developing nuclear weapons. 

“For 40 years, Iran has been saying ‘death to America, death to Israel.’ They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs,” Trump said, portraying the strike as a long-overdue response to Iranian aggression.

The unprecedented US-Israeli operation comes amid heightened regional tensions and widespread concerns over the potential for further escalation. As Trump reiterated America’s resolve, he made clear that the administration would not tolerate Iranian retaliation, underscoring the risk of a broader conflict in the Middle East if hostilities continue.