US-Iran: Unclear what comes next after Donald Trump's riskiest foreign policy action as president
The news broke on Saturday evening as a sweltering heat belt settled across the central and eastern sections of the
United States
. A bombing strike had been launched on
Iranian
nuclear bunkers. US president
Donald Trump
would address the nation at ten o'clock that evening.
Only a few days earlier, on Wednesday, Trump had been puckish about his intentions towards Iran. 'I may do. I may not do it....nobody knows what I am going to do.'
Now, the world knew. When he spoke, flanked by vice-president JD Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio and defence secretary Pete Hegseth, it was in the knowledge that militarily, the immaculately planned bombing raid on the three key Iranian nuclear targets in Natanz, Isfahan and the most critical target in Fordow had been a glittering success.
Trump, with his customary gusto, announced Iran's nuclear capabilities had been 'obliterated'. The action ended the will-he-won't-he question mark over a president who had campaigned vociferously last year on a platform which would end the Russia-Ukraine conflict and restore peace in the Middle East.
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Instead, after opening his second term by issuing vague threats to claim Greenland and seeking to re-order global trade patterns with on-again-off-again tariff sections, Trump move decisively against Iran with a series of strikes. His administration insists those actions can usher in a new set of parameters through which White House negotiators can broker peace.
But even as Secretary Hegseth emphasised the military accomplishment of the Midnight Hammer operation, which was the largest B2 spirit bomber and the second longest B2 mission ever flown, the mission raised a blizzard of new questions.
The most obvious revolves around the uncertainty over how Iran, and the 86-year old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,
will respond to the US act of aggression
, which complements the recent series of Israeli attacks that killed key Iranian generals and nuclear scientists.
The US has warned Iran against retaliatory attacks on its bases in the region, with general Dan Caine, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, warning that a counter-attack, or proxy attacks, would represent 'an incredibly poor choice' of response on the part of Iran.
Convincing Trump to withdraw from a deal was a diplomatic victory for Israel's prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu
Within hours, the domestic response to the attacks was sharply divided along political lines. Republican lawmakers, with the conspicuous exception of Kentucky's Thomas Massie, uniformly praised the decisiveness and success of the operation.
Democratic representatives emphasised that the depth of damage caused by the strikes had yet to be fully determined and warned that the decision greatly escalates the risk. Connecticut representative Jim Himes, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, stated on Sunday that Trump 'has just taken an enormous, enormous gamble. And if history matters – Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, gambles in the Middle East very rarely go the way you expect or even hope they might go.'
Perhaps the clearest indication of Trump's intentions were contained within his public rebuke days ago of Tulsi Gabbard, his director of national intelligence, when he flatly declared 'she's wrong' in relation to her March testimony that Iran was not in the process of building a nuclear weapon.
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US-Iran: Nobody, including Trump, knows what will happen next
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On Friday, Gabbard contradicted her position in response to Trump's criticism, stating on social media: 'America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months.'
The strikes draw renewed attention to Trump's decision, in 2018, to withdraw from the nuclear agreement the US had entered into with Iran during president Barack Obama's administration in 2015.
Convincing Trump to withdraw from a deal was a diplomatic victory for Israel's prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who has spent decades issuing warnings to the effect that Iran is on the cusp of nuclear capability. The Israeli leader was arguably the one person more exultant about the US intervention on Saturday night.
Sceptics noted that for a full year afterwards, Iran remained in compliance with the terms of that shredded agreement. In 2020, Trump approved what was the boldest military action of his first term in office: the targeted assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the prominent military leader. That provocation drew a limited Iranian response, with missile launches at Iraqi bases where US forces were stationed. It remains to be seen how it will respond to what stands as Trump's boldest and riskiest foreign policy action as president.
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The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Trump warns ‘bully' Iran to make peace quickly ‘or we'll be back' after US destroys hidden nuke base in huge blitz
DONALD Trump warned 'Middle East bully' Iran to make peace quickly after the US yesterday smashed its most fortified nuclear facility to smithereens. Advertisement 10 US President Donald Trump warned Iran to make peace quickly after the US smashed its most fortified nuclear facility to smithereens Credit: White House 10 Six GBU-57 mega-bombs changed the landscape of the site where scientists were feared to be close to perfecting a nuclear weapon 10 Trump warned of even bigger attacks to come if Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's rogue regime dared to retaliate Credit: Getty Before and after pictures showed six But last night the world held its breath as There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Donald Trump In a surprise attack, it launched Operation Midnight Hammer, involving 125 US military aircraft including seven B-2s. Advertisement READ MORE ON IRAN CONFLICT Some headed into the Pacific as a decoy while the B-2s went directly to Iran, according to US air force chief General Dan Caine. Just before they entered Iranian airspace, more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from a US submarine at the Isfahan site. Other deception tactics were used before 14 bunker buster bombs were dropped on two target areas, with Fordow said to be wiped out. In a televised address, Mr Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Breaking '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. Trump's shock Iran strikes take us to bring of global conflict and will strengthen Axis of Evil alliance, experts warn 'Remember there are many targets left. 'Tonight's was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. Advertisement 'But if peace does not come quickly we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. '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.' Advertisement No sign of backing down However, there were claims that Iran had evacuated its nuclear sites. Hassan Abedini, deputy political director of the state broadcaster, said Iran 'didn't suffer a major blow because the materials had already been taken out'. Britain was not involved in the strikes and not asked to help, but was informed ahead of time. 10 Advertisement Mr Trump and Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu have vowed to continue military strikes unless Iran axes both its nuclear and ballistic missile building plans. But And the spectre of global escalation loomed as Iranian officials warned they will be meeting Russian ally Vladimir Putin to plot a response. Russia 'strongly condemned' the US bombings, calling them 'irresponsible' and a 'gross violation of international law'. Advertisement Its Foreign Ministry added in a statement: 'It is already clear that a dangerous escalation has begun, fraught with further undermining of regional and global security.' 10 Airmen with one of the bombs in an earlier exercise Credit: AP 10 US Armed Forces head General Dan Caine Credit: Getty 10 US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth hailed the US blitz as an 'incredible success' Credit: Getty Advertisement Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi dubbed the strikes outrageous and warned they would have 'everlasting consequences'. He went on to boast of the 'strategic partnership' between Iran and Russia and announced he was flying to Moscow to see Putin today. Putin puppet and former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev stoked tensions further by making a veiled threat to give Iran nukes. He said: 'A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their nuclear weapons.' Advertisement 10 Iran has supplied Moscow with thousands of military drones to strike US and Ukraine in return for help from Putin's atomic boffins. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer's Government continued to sit on the fence last night and repeated calls for both sides to de-escalate. Trump had an option to launch the historic B-2 mission from the joint US-UK base in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean — 3,000 miles from Iran. Advertisement The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. Security-General Antonio Guterres But they flew more than 6,000 miles direct from the US as the President would've been obliged to ask Russian and Iranian ally China called the US attack a 'serious violation of international law' yesterday as global battle lines were drawn. Sources said the 86-year-old was in a reinforced bolthole in Tehran's Lavizan suburb. Advertisement 10 Trump vowed to continue military strikes unless Iran axes both its nuclear and ballistic missile building plans Credit: The Mega Agency 10 B-2 stealth bomber arrives back at base in the United States Credit: AP The UN Security Council met yesterday — following a request by Iran — and said the US attack 'marks a perilous turn'. Security-General Antonio Guterres added: 'I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East. Advertisement 'The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction.' He added that 'diplomacy must prevail'. Yesterday morning, Iran launched waves of revenge hits on Israel. Explosions and damage was reported in northern and central Israel, including in Haifa, Ness Ziona, Rishon LeZion, with 86 people treated for injuries and trauma. Advertisement Israeli officials said 240 residential buildings were damaged and 9,000 citizens are homeless following Iranian attacks over the past ten days. Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued a statement as Europe pleaded for peace last night. They said: 'We have consistently been clear Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and can no longer pose a threat to regional security. "We call upon Iran to engage in negotiations. Advertisement 'We urge Iran not to take any further action that could destabilise the region.'
Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Anti-racism rally and anti-immigration demonstration held in Dublin
An anti-racism rally and an anti-immigration demonstration were held in Dublin city on Sunday. O'Connell Bridge was closed for a time on Sunday afternoon as the Gardai erected extensive barriers to separate the two crowds. The United Against Racism rally began at the Central Plaza on Dame Street, marching through the city to O'Connell Bridge at around 2pm. Several protesters carried signs saying: 'Blame the Government, not migrants'; and: 'Dublin stands against racism'. They also chanted: 'Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.' The anti-immigration protest marched down O'Connell Street and turned left at O'Connell bridge before continuing along the quays. Participants from both sides shouted and gestured towards each other from across the empty space between the barriers created by gardai. The anti-immigration group, which was the larger of the two, was thick with large tricolour flags. It chanted 'ole ole' and: 'Whose streets? Our streets'. Several people were seen wearing 'Make Ireland Great Again' green caps and holding US or 'Trump' flags, and some signs critical of RTE. At one point, the famous rebel song 'Oro 'Se do bheatha 'bhaile' was played by the anti-racism rally over a speaker, and prompted some participants in the anti-immigration group to sing along and applaud at the end. There was an extensive Garda presence at the location where the two protest groups were due to cross paths. The Garda Mounted Support Unit, the Public Order Unit, and Garda members from outside the Dublin Metropolitan Region were in attendance. One Garda member was heard telling a member of the public he could not give directions as he was brought in from a region outside Dublin to police the protest. One mother said she and her eight-year-old attended the anti-racism protest as there was an anti-immigration demonstration being held close to her daughter's school. She said the group are camped beside the primary school every day over a nearby International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre, which has been there since 2022. 'We want to just come down and show our support for all of the people who go to her school who are migrants, or who have migrant parents,' the woman said, who asked that she not be named. 'We want to pass the message over to the other side that this is unacceptable for Ireland today, especially for the youth to have to put up with this type of environment. It's been extremely upsetting for the children and the families.' Councillor Conor Reddy said that communities across Ireland had been divided over the last year and a half and what happened in Ballymena in recent weeks was 'only a few steps away' in Dublin. He said anti-immigration marches would 'further divide our city' and that it was 'about time we put it up to them'. 'We're here to say that we are stronger when we stand together, that hate divides us, hate plays into the hands of Government. We've seen how far hate can take us – when you look at what happened in Ballymena in the north last week, that's only a few steps away here I fear, especially in my community of Ballymun and Finglas where we have seen houses attacked and unfortunately burned before people have gone into them, so we have to draw a line in the sand.' He said the march was acknowledging that there are issues with housing and inequality, but shifting the blame to the Government rather than migrants. 'Migrants, asylum seekers people that own IPAS centres are also multi-property landlords, so the enemy is the same and it's about pointing that out.'
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on the US attacks on Iran: Trump's biggest gamble
Donald Trump's bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan has made the world a significantly more dangerous place. As UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres rightly warns, the strikes are a 'dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.' He said there was 'a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.' Although Trump claims that the strikes have successfully 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear programme , their ostensible sole and arguably welcome purpose, it is clear that he does not now intend to disengage. Israel has, as it has hoped for some time, acquired a formidable partner whose continued commitment will be assured by Iran's inevitable retaliation at US targets. 'Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,' Trump warned. 'If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.' Israel's purpose, unlike the US, in launching its attack was never solely the disabling of the infrastructure of a nuclear weapons programme. Its objective, largely unstated, has always been the regime in Tehran itself. It has no intention of leaving the job half done. The leader of Israel's parliamentary opposition, Yair Lapid, a committed critic of prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, yesterday backed the US attack: 'It was the right and correct thing for Israel, Israeli security and global security. It's a good moment.' But rightly added that Israel should now aim to wrap up the war with Iran, saying that its 'main objectives had been achieved.' Netanyahu is unlikely to listen. READ MORE Regime change is likely to prove difficult with unpredictable consequences as the US should have learned in Afghanistan and Iraq. Although the US strikes are clearly in breach of international law, most western capitals while emphasising that they were not involved, and appealing for 'de-escalation', have dodged the issue to avoid antagonising Trump. Not so his Democratic opponents in the US, who are complaining bitterly that once again the president has ignored the constitutional limits of presidential power by usurping Congress's authority to declare war. Within the ranks of his MAGA movement sharp divisions are also opening up between those who signed up because of his promise to pull America out of all 'forever wars', and those who will back him whatever he does. And the polls are showing the president's performance rating sliding, By attacking Iran, Trump has taken a huge gamble in what is a defining moment for his presidency. The consequences are uncertain and the risks that it could all backfire are substantial.
