Aboard a nuclear-powered submarine, 'everything changes on a dime'
April 10 (Reuters) - "The role of the fast attack submarine is so dynamic that everything changes on a dime," U.S. Navy Commander Jeffrey Corneille said off the coast of Western Australia on the nuclear-powered submarine USS Minnesota in March.
"As soon as my boss says go, we go," said Corneille, the ship's commander.
A 2018 letter from the U.S. secretary of defence hangs on a wall in the Minnesota, expressing gratitude for its anti-submarine warfare and intelligence gathering in Europe.
Giving pause for thought to an adversary is "not just important for the United States, it's important for all of our partners to work together to get to that", Corneille said.
The submarine recently moved its home port from Hawaii to Guam, the first forward deployment of a Virginia-class submarine.
"In time of conflict, that is where we replenish, repair and rearm," said Captain Neil Steinhagen, Commander of Guam's Submarine Squadron 15, which includes four Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack subs alongside the Minnesota.
A port call at HMAS Stirling is preparation for hundreds of U.S. Navy personnel arriving in 2027, and Australians joining the crew of U.S.-commanded Virginia submarines.
The Virginia's "34-year gas tank" gives it the speed to run down its adversary, said Steinhagen, describing the difference between nuclear propulsion and Australia's ageing diesel-electric submarine fleet, which lurk and listen in Indo Pacific chokepoints.
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Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
In Los Angeles' Little Persia, US strikes on Iran met with celebration
LOS ANGELES, June 22 (Reuters) - In the cafes and restaurants of Little Persia, a Los Angeles enclave of about half a million Iranian-Americans, hatred for Iran's Islamic government is red hot and widely felt. What's less agreed upon is whether American and Israeli forces should have launched strikes on nuclear and military facilities in Iran, including the dropping of 30,000-pound U.S. bunker-busting bombs ordered by President Donald Trump on Saturday. Within this huge Iranian diaspora in western Los Angeles, the largest Persian community outside Iran, Iranian Jews interviewed by Reuters said they are all in on Israeli and U.S. bombing raids, and want to see more. Iranian Muslims in the area - also called Little Tehran or Tehrangeles - were more ambivalent, with many suspicious of Israel and wary of America getting embroiled in another Middle Eastern conflict. Most of the two dozen people who spoke to Reuters did not want their full names published or their pictures taken, such is their fear of the Islamic Republic led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. All still have relatives there. Reza, a 38-year-old college professor who left Iran 15 years ago, says he received a call from an Iranian official last year from his sister's mobile phone. He was told that if he did not stop publishing anti-Islamic Republic posts on his social media accounts, his sister could be in danger. "It's a very sensitive topic. I am definitely happy Israel and the U.S. are destroying their nuclear program. I don't trust the Iranian regime having access to nuclear technology," said Reza, an Iranian Muslim. "But I'm also sad for my family there. The people are suffering. It's a very scary time. And I do not like the U.S. getting involved in another war." Three blocks away, outside a Starbucks coffee shop, seven men, mostly Iranian Jews, were discussing the war between Israel and Iran, now in its second week, and the bombing of three nuclear sites by the U.S. on Saturday. The world braced on Sunday for Iran's response after the U.S. joined Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution. Outside the Starbucks, the mood was celebratory. "This regime should not exist anymore, they torture their own people, they put their own people in prison. These mullahs are causing problems all across the Middle East and the world," said Shawn, 72, a mortgage broker. Iran has so far not followed through on its threats of retaliation against the United States and has said it will consider all possible responses. Iran says its nuclear ambitions are peaceful and its U.N. Ambassador has accused Israel and the U.S. of destroying diplomacy. Sol, 58, who left Iran in 1983 and has relatives in Iran and Israel, said the group outside Starbucks had been celebrating since Israel began striking Iran earlier this month. "Israel is doing a very good job. God Bless them," he said. "We want those mullahs out!" Roozbeh, 48, a mechanical engineer who left Iran in 2007, said he was worried about his parents and two brothers still in Iran and had just spoken to them. "They are in the north. Israel bombed it for the first time yesterday," he said. "I hope the Israeli military action will bring down the regime, of course." Younger Iranian-Americans also expressed their hatred for the Islamic Republic - but were far more skeptical about Israeli and U.S. strikes on the country. Raha, 33, was born in the U.S. Her parents fled Iran during the 1979 revolution, which led to the overthrow of the U.S.-backed government and the creation of the Islamic Republic. Raha has visited relatives in Iran about 10 times. On one visit she says she had an encounter with the "morality police," because her hijab headdress had slipped. She recalled the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian who died in a hospital in Tehran, the Iranian capital, after being arrested for not wearing her hijab in accordance with the Islamic government's standards. Raha said she and her friends celebrated when an Israeli strike killed the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps this month. "That's a good thing. We want them all down," Raha said. "I absolutely want to see the regime in Iran fall."
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Trump says US took ‘bomb out of Iran's hands' and caused ‘monumental' damage as Tehran vows to retaliate
BRACING FOR STRIKES Trump says US took 'bomb out of Iran's hands' and caused 'monumental' damage as Tehran vows to retaliate DONALD Trump said that the US military took the "bomb out of Iran's hands" and caused "monumental" damage to Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The Islamic Republic - hurt and wounded - has vowed to retaliate by striking US targets in the Middle East. 5 United States President Donald J Trump addresseed the nation after bombing Iran Credit: AP 5 A satellite view shows an overview of Fordow underground complex after the US strikes Credit: Reuters 5 Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is expected to retaliate against US and its allies 5 Iran's murderous terrorist wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps 5 Slamming Thomas Massie, a Republican congressman who opposed the US miliatry intervention in the region, Trump said: "We had a spectacular military success yesterday, taking the 'bomb' right out of their hands (and they would use it if they could!) but, as usual, and despite all of the praise and accolades received, this 'lightweight' Congressman is against what was so brilliantly achieved last night." Trump last night hailed the US military bombing on Iran's key nuclear facilities, saying the strikes "obliterated" Tehran's doomsday program. He said: "The damage to the Nuclear sites in Iran is said to be 'monumental'. The hits were hard and accurate." Tehran retaliated to the US bombing by approving steps to close the Strait of Hormuz - a bottleneck entrance to the Gulf where nearly a quarter of the oil shipped around the world passes through narrow waters. Iran's Press TV said closing the strait would require approval from the Supreme National Security Council, a body led by an appointee of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Attempting to choke off Gulf oil by closing the strait could send global oil prices skyrocketing and derail the world economy. It would also invite an almost certain conflict with the US Navy's massive Fifth Fleet based in the Gulf, which is tasked with keeping it open. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a "suicide mission," adding it would be a massive escalation that would merit a response from the US and others. Meanwhile, Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said bases used by US forces could be attacked in retaliation. 'Any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces to strike Iran will be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces,' he said in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency. 'America has attacked the heart of the Islamic world and must await irreparable consequences.' Tehran has so far not followed through on its threats of retaliation against the United States - either by targeting US bases or trying to choke off global oil supplies. But that may not hold up. Trump warned that further action could be taken if Tehran doesn't agree to an adequate peace deal, or tries to harm American interests. He said in a nationally televised speech at the White House: "Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier." "There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days." 'Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight's was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. 'But if peace does not come quickly we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill." Stay up to date with the latest on Israel vs Iran with The Sun's live blog below...
Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Inside Operation Midnight Hammer: How Trump carried out unprecedented Iran attack using decoys in 37-hour covert mission
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AMERICA'S colossal bomb raid on Iran's key nuclear sites was a masterclass in military might and strategy "months in the making", officials said. Covert tactics and the world's biggest conventional bombs came together in a "spectacular success", according to Trump, which caught the Iranians completely off-guard. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 14 B-2 bombers were joined by more than 100 escort and support aircradr Credit: Reuters 8 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation had been months in the planning Credit: AP 8 Satellite pictures show Iran's Fordow nuclear facility after it was blitzed Credit: AFP 8 Iran has sworn "everlasting consequences" are coming, but Trump warned the US would not be afraid of striking again. While the world now waits to see how Iran and its Axis of Evil will respond, the US has shared details of its daring Operation Midnight Hammer. General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said: 'This was a complex and high-risk mission carried out with exceptional skill and discipline by our Joint Force." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said: "Our B-2s went in and out and back without the world knowing at all." The mission was simple: to inflict serious damage on Iran's nuclear programme so that it is unable to produce nuclear weapons. Plans were worked for months, and the key groundwork was laid by Trump on Thursday when he announced a two-week delay to his decision about striking Iran. It's now clear that was a ploy to lull the regime into a false sense of security. The full mobilisation began on Friday night when a unit of B-2 bombers took off from the US at midnight. Some of the planes flew west towards the Pacific, leading analysts to suggest they might be heading to the UK's Diego Garcia base - but that was a decoy. Only "an extremely small number of planners and key leaders" knew the truth about the ruse, General Caine said. Trump's shock Iran strikes take us to bring of global conflict and will strengthen Axis of Evil alliance, experts warn The actual fleet comprised of seven B-2 spirit bombers, which quietly set off east over the Atlantic. Each was manned by a crew of two, but the pilots were instructed to stick to minimal communication to avoid detection. It was an 18-hour non-stop journey to reach the target area, so the bombers had to refuel multiple times in the air by linking up with escort and support aircraft. Mid-air synchronisation is difficult enough, but crews had to maintain minimal comms whilst lining up. At half past midnight Iranian time, a US submarine launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles at the Isfahan nuclear site in east Iran. This coincided with the bomber squad entering Iranian airspace - undetected. 8 Trump played a feint by suggesting he would mull the strikes for two weeks Credit: Splash 8 Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has refused to surrender and now says diplomacy is off the cards Credit: AP Decoy and scout planes swooped out ahead of the main unit to scan for and distract any awaiting Iranian defence jets - but there were none. The protection group stood ready to launch preemptive fire on any surface-to-air threats, such as air defence systems, but not a single shot was fired at the operatives. Go-time was 2:10am - the midst of the Iranian night. Over a period of just 25 minutes, the bombers released their powerful payload. Officials revealed that about 75 precision-guided weapons were unleashed in total. Amongst these were 14 of the famed "bunker-buster" bombs dropped on the mountain-fortress Fordow plant. Israel had not even attempted to destroy this facility, buried beneath 300ft of rock and steel, because it knew only US's superbombs could do the job. The B-2s were programmed to drop one bomb, followed by another shortly afterwards onto the exact same point of impact. 8 Residential buildings in Tel Avid were damaged by Iranian missiles the morning after the US strikes Credit: Getty 8 A graphic displayed by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demonstrating the operation Credit: Getty It was the first time that the 30,000-pound GBU, 57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) had been deployed in a live combat situation. Caine said: 'Our forces remain on high alert and are fully postured to respond to any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks, which would be an incredibly poor choice. 'We will defend ourselves. The safety of our service members and civilians remains our highest priority. 'This mission demonstrates the unmatched reach, coordination and capability of the United States military. 'In just a matter of weeks, this went from strategic planning to global execution. 'This operation underscores the unmatched capabilities and global reach of the United States military."
