'Bullseye': Trump says strikes on Iran nuclear sites caused 'monumental damage'

ITV News

3 hours ago

Donald Trump has claimed US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites caused 'monumental damage' and suggested that he was open to "regime change" in Iran, despite US officials seeking to emphasise that the attacks did not mean America had gone to war with the country.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, the US president asserted the damage to three of Iran's nuclear sites over the weekend was extensive, though a US assessment on the strikes is still underway.
"Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!" he wrote.
"The white structure shown is deeply imbedded into the rock, with even its roof well below ground level, and completely shielded from flame. The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!"
The US strikes targeted three sites in Iran, including the Fordo facility, which is buried deep underground.
The military also targeted Isfahan and Natanz, which are linked to Iran's nuclear programme.
US defence officials have said they are working to determine just how much damage the strikes did.
Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, told CNN that there had been a 'direct kinetic impact' on Fordow, but that it was too soon to judge whether it had caused internal damage to the underground site.
Iran is yet to confirm how much damage was done in the US-led attack.
President Trump has also suggested that he could see Iran rejecting its government leadership, after officials in his administration stressed that the White House was not seeking a regime change.
'It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???'
The statement marked something of a reversal from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's Sunday morning news conference, when he said that regime change was not part of the mission in the aerial bombardment of three Iranian nuclear sites and that the US "does not seek war".
Iran's UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that the US "decided to destroy diplomacy,' and that the Iranian military will decide the 'timing, nature and scale' of a "proportionate response.'
Sir Keir Starmer, who spoke to the US president on Sunday night, warned there was a risk of the Middle East crisis spiralling beyond the region following the attacks.
Downing Street said the leaders agreed Tehran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and called for Iran to return to negotiations."The leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East and reiterated the grave risk posed by Iran's nuclear programme to international security," Downing Street said."They discussed the actions taken by the United States last night to reduce the threat and agreed that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon."They discussed the need for Iran to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and to make progress on a lasting settlement."They agreed to stay in close contact in the coming days."
Earlier on Sunday, Starmer said there was a "risk of escalation", adding: "That's a risk to the region. It's a risk beyond the region, and that's why all our focus has been on de-escalating, getting people back around to negotiate what is a very real threat in relation to the nuclear programme."The UK was not involved in the US operation, but there is the prospect of British forces being dragged into the conflict if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei orders a retaliation.
Speaking to reporters at his Chequers country retreat, he would not be drawn on whether Nato's mutual defence pact would apply if US forces were targeted.
Starmer said: "We have taken all necessary measures to protect UK interests, UK personnel, and to work with our allies to protect their interests as well."
Extra RAF Typhoon jets have already been moved to the region, and Defence Secretary John Healey said "force protection is at its highest level".
Foreign Secretary David Lammy also spoke to his Iranian and Israeli counterparts over the weekend "to stress the need for de-escalation"."I urged a diplomatic, negotiated solution to end this crisis," he said.
The Foreign Office dismissed as "inaccurate" a report by Iran's IRNA news agency that Lammy "expressed regret" over the US strikes.
Lammy also spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of Egypt and Cyprus.
The Tehran regime has insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful, but its uranium enrichment process has gone far beyond what is required for power stations.
The attacks by the US, which involved B-2 bunker-buster bombers, are an escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran, after more than a week of strikes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the strikes by saying he believed Iran could have been weeks or months away from developing a nuclear weapon, which could threaten Israel.
Other countries endorsed the US strikes, with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong giving the White House her full backing on Monday.
'We support action to prevent Iran getting a nuclear weapon and that is what this is,' she said.