
US attacks Iran: What are the Islamic Republic's options?
The US launched a surprise bombing attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities late on Saturday, bringing America directly into Israel's war against the Islamic Republic.
Donald Trump said the air strikes had "completely and totally obliterated" the Fordow, Natanz and the Isfahan sites, in an effort to disable the Islamic Republic's nuclear enrichment capability.
As of 11am GMT, it remained unclear whether the Fordow plant, buried deep under a mountain and protected by anti-aircraft batteries, was partially or completely destroyed.
Al Jazeera Arabic reported that Washington had notified Tehran in advance of the strikes, and that the targeted sites were evacuated.
Meanwhile, Amwaj Media, citing an Iranian political source, reported that "most" of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium were kept in secure locations outside of the three targeted areas.
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Iran has threatened to retaliate against the American attacks, and on Sunday issued a warning that "every American soldier and citizen in the region is a legitimate target".
With the situation still developing, Middle East Eye takes a look at what options are on the table for Iran.
Attacks on US assets
The US has a range of military bases across the Middle East.
Key bases are located in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Syria, Bahrain and Iraq.
Following the strikes on Iran, a commentator on Iran's IRIB state broadcaster said that every American citizen and soldier in the region was a "legitimate target" and aired a map showing US bases in the region.
"You started it and we'll finish it," he said.
Kuwait's finance ministry said on Sunday that it had set up shelters in the country's ministries complex.
The shelters can accommodate around 900 people, the ministry said in a statement on X.
Withdraw from Non-Proliferation Treaty
The US attack on Iran has led some Iranian lawmakers to call for withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which promotes disarmament and the use of peaceful nuclear energy.
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UAE President holds talks with Gulf leaders over Israel-Iran conflict
President Sheikh Mohamed held phone calls with Gulf leaders on Sunday to discuss how air strikes on Iran could affect regional security and stability. The UAE leader discussed the escalating Israel-Iran conflict in key talks with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The talks formed part of consultations led by Sheikh Mohamed aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region, state news agency Wam reported. During the calls, all sides emphasised that the current hostilities could have grave repercussions for the region and the global. The leaders emphasised the need to prioritise dialogue and seek peaceful solutions to the conflict. US President Donald Trump on Saturday said American forces bombed the Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites in Iran, bringing to an end days of speculation about whether Washington would become directly involved in the conflict. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the US strikes 'outrageous' and said they would have 'everlasting consequences'. The UAE has expressed concern over the tensions in the region and attacks on nuclear sites. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Sunday that stressed the importance of prioritising diplomacy and dialogue to resolve disputes in ways that "promote stability, prosperity and justice". The UAE's Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation said developments related to nuclear sites in Iran are being monitored closely. "There are no impacts on the UAE resulting from these developments," it said in a statement carried by Wam. "FANR confirmed that it is well-informed and continuously following up on the situation, in co-ordination with international partners, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, and receives regular updates through official channels."


The National
35 minutes ago
- The National
Operation Midnight Hammer: Pentagon chief Hegseth says Iranian troops and civilians not targeted
The US does not want Operation Midnight Hammer to turn into a prolonged conflict with Iran, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday. Speaking at the Pentagon, Mr Hegseth said the US had 'devastated' Iran's nuclear programme but stressed Saturday's attack was calibrated to try to avoid a broader war. 'It's worth noting that this operation did not target the Iranian people or Iranian troops,' he said. In his first Pentagon news conference since taking office six months ago, Mr Hegseth said President Donald Trump had ordered officials to come up with a mission focused on avoiding larger military involvement. The B-2 stealth bombers used in the attacks took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri for the 18-hour mission. They were refuelled in the skies in an operation that appears designed to minimise controversy by avoiding the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, or any US bases in the Middle East. 'We were able to destroy nuclear capabilities and our boys in those bombers are on their way home right now,' Mr Hegseth said. One reporter asked Mr Hegseth if the US had planned adequately for a potential Iranian decision to escalate and provoke the US into a prolonged war. 'Anything can happen in conflict and we acknowledge that,' Mr Hegseth said before pivoting back to the talking point of the strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as being narrowly focused. ' The scope of this was intentionally limited and that's the message we're sending, thought the capabilities of the US militaries are still unlimited so Iran in that sense has a choice,' he said. Mr Hegseth was joined at the press conference by Gen Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He said proactive measures had been taken to protect US troops, officials and government staff stationed in nearby countries after the strikes on Iran. 'We are being very thoughtful about ensuring that we do all that we can to protect our forces out there,' he said. In the minutes leading up to the strikes, Gen Caine said the US attack went largely undetected by Iran's military. 'This was a complex and high-risk mission carried out with exceptional skill,' he added, explaining that it was probably the largest B2 bomber strike in US history. Though both officials claimed the strikes achieved their goals, Gen Caine warned battle damage assessments would 'take some time.' 'Initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,' he said. Mr Hegseth said congressional officials in the US House of Representatives and the Senate were notified about the strikes after they were complete. That is not sitting well with Democrats. Hours after the strikes were announced on Saturday evening, US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticised Mr Trump for not seeking approval from Congress. 'President Trump must provide the American people and Congress clear answers on the actions taken tonight and their implications for the safety of Americans,' Mr Schumer said. 'No president should be allowed to unilaterally march this nation into something as consequential as war with erratic threats and no strategy.' During an appearance on ABC, US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that any counterattack on US forces stationed throughout out the Middle East would be met with a response. 'How Iran responds, I mean, the ball is in their court, but what we did was very focused,' he said, urging US citizens to pray for US troops stationed in the region.


The National
35 minutes ago
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Peace takes time and trust. US strikes on Iran deal a blow to both
America's overnight strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities have not only raised the stakes in this crisis to another level – they have injected yet more uncertainty into international efforts to find a way out of this escalating conflict. On Friday, US President Donald Trump said Tehran had a maximum of two weeks to "see whether or not people come to their senses". The same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met European counterparts in Geneva for talks. Many in this region and further afield hoped that direct US involvement would be stopped, or at least deferred, allowing time to find a diplomatic off-ramp. As it turned out, 'two weeks' meant two days. The highest priority now, particularly for countries in the Middle East, is finding a way to halt a growing war that has no clearly defined goals and threatens to lead to years of further instability. This paper has consistently called for de-escalation and talks. However, these are processes that require time and trust. The US strikes have delivered a blow to both, while the Iranian government failed to act seriously towards a long-lasting solution. Tehran's decades-long meddling in the Arab world has been a persistent threat to regional peace. Given the leadership's 'death to America, death to Israel' rhetoric, Iran's nuclear programme was always going to be viewed with suspicion, especially as its enrichment went beyond what is required for a civilian programme. But what effect will America's strikes have and what cost will the region pay? The answers to those questions are not known, but certainly de-escalation is the best move forward. There is reason to believe that Mr Trump's decision to hit Iranian targets has been informed by his previous experience with unilateral strikes. In April 2017, the US dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb in its arsenal on an underground ISIS base in Afghanistan. The same month, the US Navy launched almost 60 Tomahawk missiles at an air base controlled by the Syrian government, following a chemical weapons attack on a town in Idlib province. Almost three years later the US struck again, this time in Baghdad, assassinating Iranian commander Qassem Suleimani in a targeted drone strike. In the cases of Afghanistan and Syria, war continued in spite of these displays of American force. The killing of Suleimani was a significant loss for Tehran, but it was still able to make its presence felt across the Middle East. Direct strikes on Iranian territory are quantifiably different. Although there are few initial reports about the extent of the damage to Tehran's nuclear capabilities, some form of retaliation is to be expected and this morning there have been more missile strikes on Israeli targets. Even if the Iranian government's instinct for self-preservation precludes strikes on US assets in the region, the threat of terrorism, cyberwarfare or violence from Tehran's remaining regional proxies has significantly increased. There has to be a redoubling of efforts to convince American, Iranian and Israeli leaderships to find a way towards peace So-called pre-emptive strikes make meaningful diplomacy difficult. The uncertainty they introduce into international engagement risks fuelling the very conflict that Mr Trump and Israel claim they are heading off by striking first. Despite the bleak picture emerging this morning, a way must be found. There has to be a redoubling of efforts to convince American, Iranian and Israeli leaderships to find a way towards peace. Although wars are easy to start, they are more difficult to end. This is not the time for lip-service or talks for the sake of talks. To avert regional disaster, cooler heads must prevail and diplomatic efforts must be sincere.