BREAKING: U.S. Conducts First-Ever Airstrike on Iranian Nuclear Sites, Trump Declares “Time for Peace”

Late Saturday, the U.S. military launched precision airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear complexes—Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan—marking a historic escalation in the Iran–Israel crisis. President Trump took to Truth Social at 7:46 PM EST, announcing:

“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

The President then posted on Truth Social that he would address the nation this evening at 10:00 PM EST:

This marks the first direct U.S. strike on Iranian soil, following a week of Israeli air raids aimed at crippling Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Trump’s decision reportedly came after behind-the-scenes deliberations that weighed military action against renewed diplomatic outreach. At one point, he reportedly issued a two-week deadline for talks, but Iran—citing continued Israeli attacks—refused to return to the negotiating table. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi made that stance clear on Friday, saying that negotiations were off the table “until Israeli aggression stops.”

Earlier this week, Israel began targeting Fordow and Natanz using U.S.-supplied 2,000-pound bombs. But deeply buried facilities like Fordow likely required a much heavier solution. The U.S. deployed 30,000-pound bunker-buster ordnance delivered via B‑2 stealth bombers—assets that Israel simply can’t field alone.

Trump also hinted at high-level intelligence about Iran’s leadership, saying U.S. forces know “exactly” where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is hiding—but added that he has spared him “for now.”

In response, Khamenei remained defiant, saying:

“With his absurd rhetoric, [Trump] demands that the Iranian people surrender to him… The Iranian nation isn’t frightened by such threats.”

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson warned that American military intervention “would trigger all‑out war in the region.”

Israel’s military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, said their forces are targeting Iranian operatives “attempting to return and take munitions from the sites that were previously targeted.”

Diplomatic efforts are still underway, though at least one regional power outside the U.S. and Israel, Russian President Vladimir Putin, is reportedly offering mediation—an initiative welcomed by neither side. 

At press time, Truth Social was largely unresponsive to attempts to access the President’s feed, for reasons unknown.

UPDATED 9:51 PM CST:

Tonight in a brief appearance, the President reported “massive precision strikes” on Iran’s three principal nuclear facilities that were “a spectacular military success.” The President further said that Iran’s key nuclear enrichment capabilities had been “completely and totally obliterated.”

He further said that Iran “must now make peace,” but if not, future attacks would be “far greater, and a lot easier.”

The President thanked a number of people, then stated that “there will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days.”

He promised that if peace did not come quickly, other targets would be attacked “with speed and skill.”

The President stated that the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense would be holding a press conference tomorrow morning at the Pentagon, presumably to answer questions about the attacks. He took no questions.

The address to the nation may be seen HERE.