U.S. military officials have warned of the dangerous escalation of these military tensions. A new series of airstrikes in Iran have dealt a crippling blow to Tehran’s nuclear program. Later, on June 22, seven B-2 bombers executed strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities. They released “bunker-buster” munitions, penetrating the deeply buried site at Fordow. Even former President Donald Trump hailed the operation as a “devastating” success. Iranian leaders downplayed the U.S. assertions, arguing they were overstated and had minimal substantive effect.
The war officially started on June 13th, when Israel started a coordinated retaliation strike against military bases inside Iran. These strikes were said to have killed as many as 6 Iranian generals and scientists connected to the nuclear strike. In reaction to the increasing violence, a ceasefire was announced just days after the start of the U.S. bombing campaign.
U.S. Claims of Destruction
U.S. former intelligence official John Ratcliffe disclosed this new intelligence based on in his word of “historically credible channels.” He announced that dozens of military and nuclear sites in Iran were taken out, which Iran admitted will be years rebuilding.
“New intelligence from ‘historically reliable’ methods had shown that ‘several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years,” – John Ratcliffe.
Even Trump was on board with this. He claimed that the strikes had crippled Iran’s nuclear capacity indefinitely, hailing it a great success of his administration’s military strategy if not for the record.
Pete Hegseth doubled down on this narrative. He continued, “Thanks to that decisive military action, President Trump was able to create the conditions to end this war, decimating — pick your word — obliterating, destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities.”
Hegseth pointed to the deadly precision of the strikes on Fordow. Every time just six weapons released from each vent consistently struck their targets.
“All six weapons at each vent at Fordow went exactly where they were intended to go,” – Dan Caine.
Iranian Response
In response to the U.S. threats, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei lashed out at the U.S. claims, calling them “wild.” He accused the American president of “completely” twisting the truth of the US-Russia military encounter in a wholly unprecedented manner. On top of that, he made the case that the U.S. didn’t win anything from this war.
“The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways,” – Ali Khamenei.
This is a powerful statement from Khamenei on Iran’s nuclear intentions. He reiterated his claim that the country’s nuclear enrichment program is for purely civilian energy purposes.
Iranian officials downplayed the impact of the entire U.S. bombing campaign. They claimed that it did not come close to striking any fatal blow to their nuclear installations. Patty Culhane, a former U.S. government and current foreign affairs commentator, questioned the U.S. narrative on the strikes.
“I don’t think we know the actual facts of the matter yet. They say they detailed how many bombs were dropped… but they didn’t share any actual evidence that the facility was, in their words, obliterated,” – Patty Culhane.
The Broader Implications
The June 22 bombing marked a new escalation in what Trump dubbed the “12-Day War” between Iran and Israel. Indirectly, it was the United States’ entry into this quickly widening war. The U.S. has never wavered in its strong support for Israel. This most recent action underscores its resolve to take action against these [1] perceived threats coming from [2] Tehran.
Given these changes, a few analysts are still calling it a tenuous victory. Although a ceasefire has been announced following the latest bombing campaign, this will be short-lived if violence escalates further. According to President Trump’s supporters, these operations have neutralized serious and imminent threats from Iran. Critics urge caution against declaring early wins without clear proof.
Hegseth followed up by saying places like Fordow took a mortal wound. He emphasized the need of U.S. military action to set conditions for the desired regional dynamics.
“Anyone with two eyes, some ears and a brain can recognize that kind of firepower, with that specificity at that location and others is going to have a devastating effect,” – Pete Hegseth.
As each country begins to reassess their play, tensions remain high. International observers are eagerly and anxiously watching these dramatic developments on this hot and dangerous geopolitical front.
