Tanaiste warns of 'extremely dangerous spiral' after US strikes in Iran
Simon Harris is "closely monitoring" the worsening conflict in the Middle East after the United States successfully attacked three nuclear sites in Iran in the early hours of this morning.
President Donald Trump announced that the US bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran overnight in the most direct move yet in aligning with Israel's attempt to take down Iran's nuclear programme, sparking fears of further and more drastic military action.
Nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan were hit overnight and Tanaiste Simon Harris, who is also Minister for Defence, released a statement this morning confirming his concerns regarding the escalation.
He said: "I am closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East following military action by the United States on three nuclear facilities in Iran overnight.
"The risk of an extremely dangerous spiral of escalation in relation to Iran and Israel is now more real and more likely than ever before. There is an urgent need for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.
"This has been the focus of my engagement with EU partners and countries in the region since this current crisis began. It will remain Ireland's priority in the hours and days ahead. Later today, I will travel to Brussels for a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers.
"Europe, including Ireland, is fully united in the clear view that Iran should not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. The way to address this was always through a negotiated solution. Any alternative to that is simply too dangerous for civilians, for the Middle East region and for global security.
"The comment from the International Atomic Energy Agency this morning is a stark reminder of these dangers. While there is no initial reporting of any increase in off-site radiation levels as a result of overnight developments, it is a warning as to how easily that could change should further escalation occur, and the disaster that could pose."
It's understood that a number of so-called 'bunker buster bombs' were dropped from B-2 stealth bombers in the strategic strikes on the Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran has responded via its foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, insisting that his country is considering "all options" after what has been described as an "outrageous" attack.
Mr Harris vowed to prioritise de-escalation and to ensure the safety of Irish peacekeeping troops in nearby Lebanon as the conflict continues.
He added: "Together with my EU counterparts, we will in the coming hours and days discuss and review the latest developments and consider the next steps Europe can usefully play to support de-escalation.
"I am also very conscious of the large presence of Irish peacekeeping troops in Southern Lebanon and their safety is of paramount importance. I continue to receive regular updates from the Chief of Staff on measures being taken to keep them safe at this volatile time.
"We remain in close contact with our Embassies in the region and are supporting those Irish citizens who wish to leave. Staff from our Embassy in Tehran departed Iran on Friday."
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Irish Examiner
28 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
US does not seek war, says Pentagon after bombing Iran's nuclear sites
America 'does not seek war' with Iran, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has said in the aftermath of a surprise US attack on three of Tehran's key nuclear sites. The mission, called Operation Midnight Hammer, involved decoys and deception, and met with no Iranian resistance, Mr Hegseth and US Air Force General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Pentagon news conference on Sunday. Mr Hegseth said it is important to note the US strikes did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people, a veiled effort to indicate to Tehran they do not want retaliation on American targets in the region. 'This mission was not and has not been about regime change,' Mr Hegseth added. Mr Caine said the goal of the operation – destroying nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan – had been achieved. US President Donald Trump earlier claimed the facilities had been 'completely and fully obliterated'. 'Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,' Mr Caine said. The operation inserted the United States into Israel's war aimed at destroying Iran's nuclear programme, though the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran insisted the programme will not be stopped. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has condemned the US attacks, while foreign minister Abbas Araghchi warned diplomacy is no longer an option. 'This aggression showed that the United States is the primary instigator of the Zionist regime's hostile actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran,' Mr Pezeshkian said on Sunday. 'Although they initially tried to deny their role, after our armed forces' decisive and deterrent response and the Zionist regime's clear incapacity, they were inevitably forced to enter the field themselves.' Mr Araghchi meanwhile declared that while the 'door to diplomacy' should always be open, 'this is not the case right now'. Joint Chiefs chairman Dan Caine addressed the media at the Pentagon (Alex Brandon/AP) He added: 'The warmongering, lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far reaching implications of its act of aggression.' Satellite images taken on Sunday show damage to the mountainside at the underground site at Fordo. The images, by Planet Labs PBC, show the once-brown mountain now has parts turned grey and its contours appear slightly different than in previous images, suggesting a blast threw up debris around the site. That suggests the use of specialised American bunker-buster bombs on the facility. Light grey smoke also hung in the air. Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes. It is not clear whether the US will continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a nine-day war with Iran. Iran targeted Tel Aviv with missiles in the hours after the US attack (Oded Balilty/AP) Mr Trump acted without congressional authorisation, and he warned there will be additional strikes if Tehran retaliates against US forces. 'There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,' he said. Iran's foreign ministry said Washington had 'betrayed diplomacy' with the military strikes, and that 'the US has itself launched a dangerous war against Iran'. Its statement added: 'The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its right to resist with full force against US military aggression and the crimes committed by this rogue regime, and to defend Iran's security and national interests.' Hours after the American attacks, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a barrage of 40 missiles at Israel, including its Khorramshahr-4, which can carry multiple warheads. Israeli authorities reported that more than 80 people suffered mostly minor injuries, though one multi-storey building in Tel Aviv was significantly damaged, with its entire facade torn away to expose the apartments inside. Houses across the street were almost completely destroyed. Following the Iranian barrage, Israel's military said it had 'swiftly neutralised' the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes towards military targets in western Iran. President Donald Trump addressed the nation from the White House following the air strikes (Carlos Barria/pool/AP) Iran has maintained its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb. However, Mr Trump and Israeli leaders have argued Iran could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel that significantly degraded Iran's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities. But US and Israeli officials have said American B-2 stealth bombers and the 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb that only they have been configured to carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear programme buried deep underground. Mr Trump appears to have made the calculation – at the prodding of Israeli officials and many Republicans – that Israel's operation had softened the ground and presented a perhaps unparalleled opportunity to set back Iran's nuclear programme, perhaps permanently. 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan,' Mr Trump said in a post on social media. 'All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordo. All planes are safely on their way home.' Mr Trump later added: 'This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!' Israel announced on Sunday that it had closed its airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the US attacks. US officials said the attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, while submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles. The decision to attack was a risky one for Mr Trump, who won the White House partially on the promise of keeping America out of costly foreign conflicts and scoffed at the value of American interventionism. But he has vowed he will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon and he had initially hoped the threat of force would bring the country's leaders to give up its nuclear programme peacefully.
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
How apocalyptic Iran could terrorise West after US blitz from horror bombings to kidnappings and crippling cyber attacks
THE world is waiting with baited breath for Tehran's response to Donald Trump's strikes on three key nuclear facilities. Iran and Israel's conflict expanded to a global scale when the 11 Firefighters, rescue workers and military tasked with civil defense and recovery operations gather at the site of a direct missile strike launched from Iran in Tel Aviv Credit: AP 11 Missiles fired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps towards Israel Credit: Reuters 11 Houthi supporters at a ceremony marking the Shiite religious Day of Eid al-Ghadir, in Sana'a, Yemen Credit: EPA 11 US President Donald Trump holds a meeting in the Situation Room at the White House in Washington Credit: Reuters 11 After declaring the But Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that Fears loom of US sites decimated A simple response from Iran would be the decimation of US sites in the Middle East using its arsenal of ballistic missiles. read more news At least 50 Iranian missiles are thought to have struck down in Israel during the ten days of conflict. But more than 450 have been intercepted by Israel's sophisticated air defences, along with around 1,000 drones, according to the latest figures from the Israeli military. Iranian preparations for missile strikes on US military bases in the Middle East have been exposed by American intelligence officers, anonymous officials told the New York Times. There are over 20 bases across the region - the majority of which are within 2,000km range of Iran's Sejil-2 ballistic missile. Most read in The US Sun US bases in Iraq and Syria would potentially be targeted first, according to American officials said that F-22, F-16 and F-35 fighter jets had been positioned in the Middle East - prime targets for Tehran missiles. Major general Chip Chapman told The Sun how the bases represent key targets for Iran. He said: "It could be that they do some sort of minimal strike on one or two bases, not a theatre-wide strike, which would involve Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, all the American bases throughout the region. "And we know from the UK perspective that the 20 plots, Iranian inspired plots against, Iranian dissidents. "So you could see that against Israeli targets, a wide geographic region that's that prolonged, sporadic, conflict. "It is if you had that, that people would more overtly, I think, talk about regime change in general." Fears loom that Iran could even strike US embassies and consulates. Several sources revealed to Sky News that the US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, is likely to be attacked. Sponsored terror attacks Iran has not hid the fact it uses its network of regional proxies as defence. 11 Smoke rises following an Israeli attack in Tehran, Iran Credit: Reuters 11 Missiles fired from Iran in retaliation for Israeli attacks are seen in the sky over the Hebron, West Bank Credit: Getty 11 Houthi supporters attend a ceremony marking the Shiite religious Day Credit: EPA Infamous Hezbollah and Hamas have been effectively keeping the Israeli military occupied - steering attention away from Iran. And Yemen's Houthis have also provided distraction to the West by relentlessly targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The group already vowed to target US ships if Washington launched an attack on Iran just hours before Trump's nuke blitz - with the threat now potentially becoming a reality. The Houthis had halted its attacks on US shipping containers after Trump boosted strikes on the group. Crippling cyber attack Iran and its regional proxies have claimed responsibility for various crippling cyber attacks on Israel. Data has been destroyed and phishing campaigns launched in the past - meaning another cyber attack in response to the nuclear sites blitz could be on the cards. The US government has desperately worked to gather information on Iranian hackers responsible for previous attacks due to the grave threats to defence. An eye-watering $10 million reward was uploaded for details on a group known as CyberAv3ngers who US officials have tracked down to having links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. But experts have warned that Iran could struggle to actually launched large-scale cyber attacks when its regime is under extreme threat - like now. Choking shipping lanes Arguably Tehran's most powerful weapon against the West is the Strait of Hormuz. The narrow path of water between Oman and Iran is vital in the global supply of oil. Major general Chapman told The Sun that the Islamic Republic could just shut down access to the Strait and cripple shipping through the area. He said: "The worst case from the allies perspective, America and everyone else, is that the Iranians go towards a posture of closing the Strait of Hormuz. "20 per cent of the world's oil runs through that. And as of today, the price of a barrel of oil, Brant crude was $77. "Now that is where the Brits may get involved, because one of the things about the British posture in the region and the opposition, it's been a longstanding British, operation in the Persian Gulf and the wider Middle East is that we have mine countermeasure vessels, co-located with the American Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. "If the Iranians were to try and close the Strait of Hormuz, that those would be a definite ask by the Americans to the Brits. "The Iranian oil goes to China, it goes to India, places like that. They're the ones who would suffer." Oil field blitzed Iran has the potential to pull what's been dubbed the "last big card" and launch an attack on vital energy infrastructure in the Gulf that powers the globe. In 2019, two major Saudi Arabian oil plants, one in Abqaiq, Bugayg, and its second largest oilfield in Khurais, where engulfed in flames after a drone attack. The Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack - but the US and Saudi governments accused Iran of orchestrating it behind closed doors. 11 Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's grandson, Hassan Khomeini stands next to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Credit: Reuters 11 Missiles fired from Iran in retaliation for Israeli attacks are seen in the sky over the Hebron Credit: Getty 11 Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran Credit: AP The Khurais oilfield was producing around one per cent of the world's oil and Abqaiq is the largest facility and could produce seven per cent of the global supply. This caused global energy prices to spike, and temporarily binned half of Saudi Arabia's oil production. Chaos unfolding After declaring the He said in a nationally televised speech at the White House: " "There will be 'Remember there are many targets left. Tonight's was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. 'But if 'Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes. There's no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight." And shortly after speaking on-camera, he posted to Truth Social: "This cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Staggering vid shows US carpet bombing Houthis in 'Operation Rough Rider' as Trump blitzed 800 targets in 44 days "Remember, "But if peace does not come quickly we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill." Meanwhile Iran's foreign minister Abbas Arghchi dubbed the strikes "outrageous and will have everlasting consequences". He also called the military action "a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear installations". Arghchi added: "Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior. "In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people." A response from Iran, or from the Ayatollah in hiding, has not yet come. Ali Khamenei is believed to be Two informed sources inside the country told Iran International the country's ageing dictator is Posting on Truth Social, President Analysis of the global implications PHILIP Ingram, expert on international security 'Iranian ballistic missiles will not reach the United States and therefore to try and respond to the United States attack Iran's going to have to do something different. "It'll bring its coalition of the willing that it has together or as we call them the axis of evil. So we've got Iran, Russia, North Korea and China. 'China will likely sit back and wait to see what's happening, to begin with. But North Korea may provide Iran with some missile technology. 'Russia is sitting there laughing all the way to the bank effectively. 'The escalating conflict helps Russia by moving Russia-Ukraine further down the agenda so that people aren't focusing on it. 'Iran and Russia will join forces to try and cause as much disruption in different countries as possible through protest and through disinformation. 'There will be two reactions directly out of Iran. One, the stimulation of their proxy organisations that they have operating across the world. Hamas and Hezbollah have been largely destroyed by Israel. 'But they've still got the Houthis in Yemen. I think we will see a massive uptake in Houthi activity in disrupting international shipping in the Red Sea. 'The other reaction could be trying to close the Straits of Hormuz. 30 percent of the world's oil and gas goes through there. "Even a threat to close it will put energy prices spiking to a level that will make the spike we saw when Russia invaded Ukraine seem like small change."
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Trump's shock Iran strikes take us to brink of global conflict and will strengthen Axis of Evil alliance, experts warn
TRUMP'S historic strikes against Iran could push the world to the brink of global conflict, experts have warned. Wounded Iran has vowed to fight on, and at this very moment will be calling upon 7 The Ayatollah has refused to back down even in the face of the US's decisive action Credit: AFP 7 Putin will be eager for Iran to disrupt the global oil industry Credit: AP While Israel has stamped out much of Iran's power in the Middle East, the regime retains formidable allies with equally Experts believe Trump's strikes could force the axis of evil closer together, and set in motion a chain of events that embroils more countries in the conflict. Philip Ingram, a global defence expert, told The Sun: 'Iranian ballistic missiles will not reach the United States and therefore to try and respond to the United States attack Iran 's going to have to do something different. "It'll bring its axis of evil. That means Iran, Russia , North Korea and China . raed more in israel-iran "We are a couple of feet further up the escalation ladder towards a global conflict." North Korea showed its willingness to get involved with other wars when Kim sent 12,000 troops over to fight on Russia 's front line with Ukraine . With Iran increasingly desperate, North Korea could step in and provide military aid such as "missile technology ", Ingram said. Russia has been one of Iran's most vocal allies, and has warned all along that regime change would be "unacceptable". Most read in The US Sun The Kremlin said the assassination of Iran's supreme leader would "open the Pandora's box". Ingram said that 'Iran and Russia will join forces to try and cause as much disruption in different countries as possible." Watch Trump hail 'very successful' bombing on Iran's nuke bases Russia is well-versed in the dark arts, and has propagated a campaign of sabotage against the West, so would have plenty to teach Iran. Forcing Iran and Russia closer together is not the only way US strikes could impact on Putin. Ingram said: 'The escalating conflict helps Russia by moving Russia-Ukraine further down the agenda so that people aren't focusing on it. 'It also ties up international geopolitical organisations and politicians in a complex Middle East situation - so again they don't have the capacity to focus on what Russia's doing in Ukraine ." Chip Chapman said that the most immediate threat to western allies would be if Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz - which could even see the UK dragged into the conflict. He said: "20 percent of the world's oil runs through the strait. Closing it could have huge implications for the oil price. 'And that's where the Brits may get involved. If the Iranians were to try and close the Strait of Hormuz, there would be a definite ask from the Americans to the Brits." 7 President Donald Trump ordered major strikes against Iranian nuclear targets Credit: AP 7 Iran struck back almost immediately with waves of missiles into Israel - causing serious damage in Tel Aviv Credit: Getty Russia would likely back Iran's decision to close the strait, because an increase in oil prices would help fund its activities, Ingram explained. For many years Iran enjoyed considerable power in the Middle East through its proxies across the region. Two of the key players were Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon - but over the past 20 months Israel has seriously crippled them. However, Ingram says the Houthis in Yemen still pose a threat to the world other. He said: "I think we will see a massive uptake in Houthi activity in disrupting international shipping in the Red Sea." Experts have also warned that the strikes could prove a "slippery slope" and commit the US to pursuing more extreme military goals in Iran - such as overthrowing the regime. 7 Houthi supporters hold anti-US and Israel placards during a protest this week Credit: EPA 7 Missiles launched from Iran are intercepted following the US strikes Credit: Reuters Laura Blumenfeld, a Middle East analyst at the Johns Hopkins School, said: "Beware mission creep, aiming for regime change and democratization campaigns . "You'll find the bones of many failed US moral missions buried in Middle East sands." US-driven regime change would likely drive a wedge further between the West and the Islamic world - as was the case with Iraq - the experts suggest. Ingram said: "If there Ayatollah was killed it could change the whole way the government is set up in Iran, like we had with the fall of the Shah. "Then you whatever comes in next could be worse than what's in now and more polarised." 7 The US strikes could also prove a spark to other flash points around the world - such as the China-Taiwan tensions. Ingram said 'China will likely sit back and wait to see what's happening, to begin with. "Xi Jinping might think the international community is so tied up in the Middle East, that he has a window of opportunity, and he might try and take Taiwan. 'The world is not just a more febrile place, but the potentials for a series of events to happen to take us into a global conflict have just become even more complex to try and analyse. 'We haven't moved away from conflict. We have moved away from a despot regime getting towns on nuclear weapons, but it's not made the world immediately safer. 'What happens over the coming days and weeks will let us understand as to whether we have moved back from the brink of a global conflict or move further forward.'
