Washington: President Donald Trump authorized a military strike on Iran just hours before U.S. bombers and submarines targeted key nuclear facilities, according to U.S. media reports on Sunday.
According to Anadolu Agency, the decision followed weeks of planning and marked a sharp reversal from Trump's earlier public statement suggesting Tehran would be given up to two weeks to respond to U.S. demands. The Wall Street Journal reported that the intention was to catch Iran off guard. "The goal was to create a situation when everyone wasn't expecting it," a senior U.S. official told the outlet.
Shortly after the order was given, B-2 stealth bombers departed Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and dropped six 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on the underground Fordow enrichment site. Simultaneously, U.S. Navy submarines launched over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.
In a televised address hours later, Trump called the strikes "a spectacular military success," claiming Iran's key nuclear sites were "completely and totally obliterated." Tehran has denied the extent of the damage, with Iran's Atomic Energy Organization pledging continued development of its nuclear program.
U.S. officials emphasized that the strikes were limited in scope and not aimed at regime change. Trump authorized Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to signal to Tehran through intermediaries that the strike was not the start of a broader war.
Trump made the final decision on the operation at his New Jersey club, aiming to hit Iran before it could reposition or reinforce critical sites. Despite publicly stating that Iran would have a maximum of two weeks, Trump privately warned advisers that his patience had run out. A senior official said the U.S. wanted to ensure "Iran wouldn't have time to react."
The strikes targeted three major nuclear facilities and followed days of coordination with Israeli officials. Trump had earlier told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. would not block Israel's actions but would refrain from direct involvement. By June 12, with Israeli attacks escalating, Trump shifted the U.S. stance to direct military engagement.
Following the strike, Trump called Netanyahu, who expressed gratitude. Israel also launched separate strikes on Iranian naval and military assets in Bandar Abbas to limit Tehran's response capacity in the Gulf. The operation was coordinated by the Pentagon and Joint Chiefs of Staff, including Gen. Dan Caine. The White House released photos showing Trump in the Situation Room during the operation.
While the U.S. left open diplomatic channels after the strike, Iranian officials told regional mediators that they would not engage in negotiations under fire. Trump warned of further consequences if Iran responded with escalation. "Future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier," Trump said.
The U.S. strikes came days after Israel began a wave of attacks on Iranian nuclear and military targets. Iran has since responded with missile strikes on Israeli cities. As of Sunday morning, U.S. intelligence and defense officials were still assessing the full impact of the operation, as tensions across the region remained high.