Iran-Israel latest: Trump compares US strikes on nuclear sites to Hiroshima atomic bombing
President Donald Trump has insisted the US bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities was a success, claiming it obliterated Tehran's nuclear programme and set it back decades.
Mr Trump compared the US operation to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings in Japan, which killed an estimated 150,000 to 246,000 people, mostly civilians.
'That hit ended the war. I don't want to use an example of Hiroshima. I don't want to use an example of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing, that ended that war. This ended that with the war,' he said at the Nato summit.
A leaked preliminary intelligence assessment reportedly found that the US military strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities at the weekend did not destroy the country's nuclear programme.
Mr Trump admitted the early intelligence was 'very inconclusive' before doubling down on his claims the attack destroyed the nuclear sites.
Iran admitted the country's nuclear sites had been badly damaged.
Earlier, Mr Trump claimed he had 'stopped the war' as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran appeared to hold. 'It was my great honor to Destroy All Nuclear facilities & capability, and then, STOP THE WAR!' he wrote.
Trump demands end of Netanyahu's graft trial
US president Donald Trump has demanded that the Israeli justice system drop its corruption case against prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
'I was shocked to hear that the State of Israel, which has just had one of its Greatest Moments in History, and is strongly led by Bibi Netanyahu, is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister!' Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In his lengthy rant, Mr Trump called the case against his ally "politically motivated".
"Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State," Mr Trump added.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar26 June 2025 04:13
US hospitals on high alert for cyberattacks
American hospitals, water dams and power plants are reportedly on high alert for potential Iranian cyberattacks:
Iran retaliation fears as hospitals and power plants on high alert for cyberattacks
The Trump administration attacked three main nuclear sites in Iran late Saturday
Jane Dalton26 June 2025 04:04
In pictures: Protests in Iran and Iraq
Jane Dalton26 June 2025 03:03
Iran set to block nuclear watchdog inspections
Iran's parliament has agreed to fast-track a proposal that would effectively end co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN watchdog.
Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf criticised the IAEA for having "refused to even pretend to condemn the attack on Iran's nuclear facilities" by the United States.
"For this reason, the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran will suspend co-operation with the IAEA until security of nuclear facilities is ensured, and Iran's peaceful nuclear programme will move forward at a faster pace," Mr Qalibaf told politicians.
IAEA director-general Rafael Grossi said he had written to Iran to discuss resuming inspections of their nuclear facilities.
"We need to return," he said.
Jane Dalton26 June 2025 02:02
Questions and challenges faced by Iran's leaders
Iran's battered theocracy and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei must regroup and rebuild in a changed landscape:
A battered Iran faces an uncertain future after its grinding war with Israel
The bombing has quieted in Iran's 12-day conflict with Israel, but the battle over the future of Tehran is likely to soon begin
Jane Dalton26 June 2025 01:01
Israel says Iran's nuclear project 'devastating'
Israel's prime minister claims Iran's nuclear programme has been set back 'many years' following the US attack on the sites.
The Israel Atomic Energy Commission said: 'The devastating US strike on Fordow destroyed the site's critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable.
'We assess that the American strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, combined with Israeli strikes on other elements of Iran's military nuclear program, has set back Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years.
The statement continued: 'The achievement can continue indefinitely if Iran does not get access to nuclear material.'
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Al Jazeera that there was significant damage.
"Our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that's for sure," he said.
Jane Dalton25 June 2025 23:59
Watch: Trump may have just compromised Israeli secrets – again
Jane Dalton25 June 2025 22:59
Recap: Experts fear Iran protected nuclear materials before strike
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi on the day Israel launched its military campaign against Iran that Tehran would "adopt special measures to protect our nuclear equipment and materials".
American satellite imagery firm Maxar Technologies said its satellites photographed trucks and bulldozers at the Fordo site beginning on June 19, three days before the Americans struck.
Subsequent imagery "revealed that the tunnel entrances into the underground complex had been sealed off with dirt prior to the US airstrikes", said Stephen Wood, senior director.
Some experts say those trucks could also have been used to move out Iran's enriched uranium stockpile.
"It is plausible that Iran moved the material enriched to 60% out of Fordo and loaded it on a truck," said Eric Brewer, a former US intelligence analyst, now deputy vice president at the Nuclear Threat Initiative.
Iran could also have moved other equipment, including centrifuges, he said, noting that while enriched uranium stored in fortified canisters is relatively easy to transport, delicate centrifuges are more challenging to move.
Kelsey Davenport, of the Arms Control Association, a nonpartisan policy center, said that if Iran had already diverted its centrifuges, it could "build a covert enrichment facility with a small footprint and inject the 60% gas into those centrifuges and quickly enrich to weapons grade levels".
Jane Dalton25 June 2025 21:55
Iran's nuclear project severely damaged, says CIA chief
The head of the CIA has confirmed that 'credible intelligence' suggests Iran's nuclear programme was severely damaged by US strikes on it on Sunday.
John Ratcliffe said several key nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years.
"This includes new intelligence from a historically reliable and accurate source/method that several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years," he said in a statement.
A leaked preliminary intelligence assessment reportedly found that the US military strikes did not destroy the country's nuclear programme, but Donald Trump insisted they did.
Jane Dalton25 June 2025 21:38
Trump envoy 'hopeful' of peace deal with Iran
Nuclear enrichment and weaponisation by Iran are red lines for the United States, president Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has said, adding that he was hopeful for a comprehensive peace agreement with Tehran.
Jane Dalton25 June 2025 21:33
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
35 minutes ago
- Reuters
Thai and Cambodian leaders visit disputed border as tensions simmer
ARANYAPRATHET, Thailand, June 26 (Reuters) - The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia are visiting different parts of their disputed land border on Thursday as tensions between the two neighbours simmer over a territorial dispute and the Thai government teeters on the brink of collapse. The deterioration of relations was sparked by brief armed clashes in a border area late last month that left one Cambodian soldier dead. What followed were a series of tit-for-tat measures by both countries including troops mobilisations, Cambodia's suspension of all fuel and gas imports from its neighbour, and the partial closure of checkpoints by Thailand along the 817 km (508 miles) land border. The conflict has added fuel to a crisis facing Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is battling to revive a faltering economy and scrambling to keep a fragile coalition together in the face of protests as well as a parliamentary no confidence vote. As she arrived on Thursday morning at the Thai bordertown of Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo province, opposite Cambodia's Poipet, Paetongtarn was greeted by a crowd of supporters, with several of them holding a large sign saying "Love You Prime Minister Paetongtarn". The Prime Minister said the purpose of her visit was to survey the ongoing crackdown on transnational crime and gauge the impact of border restrictions, which saw Thailand halting all vehicles, tourists and traders from all land border crossings into Cambodia. "We want to see the impact from this policy and what the government can do to help, this is our main goal for the visit today," Paetongtarn said in a meeting with officials. The Thai Prime Minister earlier this week linked the proliferation of illegal online scam centres to Cambodia, but Cambodian authorities have denied involvement. At another part of the border, former Cambodian premier Hun Sen on Thursday morning visited troops and officials in Oddar Meanchey province, opposite the Thai province of Surin. Local media footage showed Hun Sen, in military fatigues, arriving by helicopter and meeting with officials in the area. The two leaders has until recently enjoyed warm personal ties, helped by the close relationship between Hun Sen and Paetongtarn's influential father, Thailand's former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. But in a leaked phone conversation with Hun Sen, Paetongtarn was heard denigrating a Thai military commander - a red line in a country in which the military holds significant clout - piling political pressure on the Thai government. The prime minister has since apologised over the leaked call but the incident was used as a justification by the Bhumjaithai party to leave the government coalition last week. Bhumjaithai said earlier this week that it will seek a parliamentary no confidence vote against Prime Minister Paetongtarn and her cabinet over the leaked call. Paetongtarn is also facing judicial scrutiny after a group of senators gave the Constitutional Court and a national anti-graft body a wide remit to investigate her conduct. Decisions from either bodies could lead to her removal. Anti-government groups are also planning a street protest starting Saturday, demanding her resignation.
Sky News
38 minutes ago
- Sky News
Europe must be ready to build 'millions of drones' to defend itself against possible Russian attacks, EU warns
Why you can trust Sky News The EU's defence commissioner has warned Europe must be capable of building a drone army in case Russia attacks. Military intelligence has suggested Russian forces could be ready to strike a NATO country within the next five years. In order to defend themselves, Andrius Kubilius says Europeans will require millions of drones and need to start preparing now. "Russia can have around five million drones, so we need to have capacities bigger than those in order to prevail," he told Sky News, warning that if President Putin ordered an attack, the target would face a "battle-tested" Russian army with the ability to use "millions of drones". The 2022 invasion of Ukraine sparked a revolution in drone warfare. Facing one of the world's strongest militaries, the Ukrainians used the cheap, adaptable technology to their advantage. It estimates its drone units are now responsible for 80% of Russian frontline losses. Mr Kubilius has visited Ukraine to learn the lessons from the battlefield. Along the 1,200km (745 mile) front line is an area nicknamed "Death Valley". "Nothing can move. Everything is controlled by drones. A traditional tank in that zone survives six minutes," he explained. This year, Ukraine's expected to produce more than four million drones. Contemplating how many units other countries would need, the commissioner used the example of his home country of Lithuania. The former Soviet republic shares a border of around 900km (559 miles) with Russia and Belarus. "If Ukrainians need four million for 1,200km, we need something like three million drones for one year if the war is starting, if 'Day X' is coming," he said. To try to stay ahead in the fight, both Russia and Ukraine are constantly updating their drone technology. For this reason, the commissioner believes that rather than stockpiling drones now, which will go out of date, Europe should instead build up teams of pilots, engineers, and producers ready to scale up production should the time come. "On the European continent, at the moment, there are only two armies battle-tested with the ability to use millions of drones: one is Russian, which is planning new aggressions; another one is Ukrainian," said Mr Kubilius. "We need to learn a lot from Ukraine... how to organise defences against millions of drones, and also how to make your defence industry innovative," he added. It's a point many in the business agree with. German start-up STARK has been testing loitering munitions or "attack drones" ready to supply to Kyiv. "It's all made for easy handling for soldiers, so you don't have to use any tools on the front line, and you just plug in the rudders," said STARK's senior vice president, Josef Kranawetvogl, as he quickly clicked the unit's tail together. He spent 18 years in the German military before making the jump to weapons production. He says staying ahead of the enemy requires tactics and technology to be frequently updated. "Every day you have to adapt. You have such fast development cycles in Ukraine - two or three weeks, then there's something new upcoming and you have to be prepared for this." Since the start of June, Russia has repeatedly used drone swarms to attack Ukraine. It involves hundreds of drones hammering cities in one night. I asked Josef whether he believes NATO's European members are ready to defend against such an attack. "I see quite a lot of European armies starting right now to develop or to purchase unmanned systems, and it's a good development, but it's all about time. How can we speed up?" he replied. Close to the border with France, another German start-up, Alpine Eagle, is testing defence drone units for Ukraine. "This is our interceptor drone," explained the company's CEO, Jan-Hendrik Boelens, holding up a prototype which looks a bit like a small black plane. The interceptor is carried underneath a large grey drone. On-board radar means it can be fired at enemy drones up to 5km (3 miles) away. Jan thinks that could be a game changer in an aerial battle as it means hostile units could be picked off before they get close. And he believes NATO is unprepared if one of its countries was to be hit by a wave of drones like those in Ukraine. "We are absolutely not ready in my view," he said. He explained that Ukraine produced around 1.3 million drones a year last year. "I would be surprised if NATO even bought a thousand drones last year. I think Germany procured, I don't know, 100, maybe 200. So now you do the math on what that means and how quickly you run out of drones. "If Ukraine consumed 1.3 million drones per year, that's 3,000 a day. So, if you have 100 in your inventory, that would not last an hour." A spokesperson from the German Defence Ministry said the numbers stated "do not closely reflect reality". "Drones are now part of everyday life for soldiers, they are omnipresent and are used extensively in service operations and training," they added. Drones are a key part of NATO's defence plan. The alliance's leadership has repeatedly said producing, procuring, and protecting against drones is a priority. At the NATO summit, members agreed to boost defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035. In addition to increasing training and development, NATO Chief Mark Rutte has said he wants more investment in drone technology as well as boosting air defences fivefold. "We see Russia's deadly terror from the skies over Ukraine every day, and we must be able to defend ourselves from such attacks," he told an audience at the summit. Lessons from Ukraine have prompted members to embrace unmanned technology in various ways. Britain is one of the countries pledging to put drones front and centre of its new defence plan. Earlier this month, the UK government's Strategic Defence Review outlined a new way forward for British Army warfighting based around a drone-centric 20-40-40 strategy in which uncrewed systems are deployed for first wave attacks, before tanks, attack helicopters and other manned platforms arrive on the battlefield. In essence, the new weapons mix would be 20% traditional heavy platforms (like tanks), 40% single-use expendable drones and munitions, and the remaining 40% reusable, high-end drones. It's been confirmed that an extra £2bn will be spent on army drones this parliament. Defence Secretary John Healey said Britain's adversaries were working more in alliance and technology was changing how war was fought. "Drones now kill more people than traditional artillery in the war in Ukraine and whoever gets new technology into the hands of their armed forces the quickest will win," he said. This week, the prime minister announced a deal with Ukraine to co-produce drones. Germany and Denmark have made similar agreements with the German Ministry of Defence, telling Sky News that drones are a top priority. In a drone showroom in central Berlin, we meet Sven Weizenegger, head of the German military's cyber innovation hub. He said they have noticed a boom in pitches from potential suppliers. Every day, his department receives up to 20 enquiries from companies asking how their products could be used by the military. He believes things need to move more quickly so soldiers get weapons faster. "We are very advanced in the innovation process. That means we have a lot of ideas and many companies that are ready to deliver," he explained. "Unfortunately, what we are not good at right now, due to our current processes, is getting these things into real operations, into frontline use. We need to fix that." Germany has promised to turbo-charge defence spending, with the Chancellor pledging to create the "strongest conventional army in Europe". Plans announced this week include boosting unmanned systems and air defences. The German Ministry of Defence said it couldn't reveal stock levels due to security, but a spokesperson confirmed the country is investing in a range of different units, including signing two contracts for attack drones. "We are procuring not just a few but quite large quantities and testing them directly with the troops," the spokesperson added. However, they agreed with the EU defence commissioner that rather than stockpiling tech which would go out of date, it was better to have a system in place to allow for large quantities to be made quickly in the event of war. In May, the EU approved a €150bn (£125bn) loan scheme to boost defence production across the bloc.
The Guardian
42 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Israel-Iran news live: Donald Trump says strikes on Iran were ‘devastating attack' amid row over claims of success
Update: Date: 2025-06-26T06:34:10.000Z Title: Trump claims US strikes on Iran were 'devastating' with 'new intelligence' supporting success Content: Donald Trump's administration ratcheted up its defence of the US's weekend attacks on Iran, citing 'new intelligence' to support its initial claim of complete success and criticising a leaked intelligence assessment that suggested Tehran's nuclear programme had been set back by only a few months. The growing row came amid reports that the White House will to try to limit the sharing of classified documents with Congress, according to the Washington Post and the Associated Press. 'This was a devastating attack, and it knocked them for a loop,' Trump said on Wednesday, apparently backing away from comments he'd made earlier in the day, that the intelligence was 'inconclusive'. Senior Trump officials publicly rejected the leaked initial assessment of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) which concluded key components of the nuclear programme were capable of being restarted within months. Director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said in a post on X that 'new intelligence confirms' what Trump has stated. She said: Iran's nuclear facilities have been destroyed. If the Iranians chose to rebuild, they would have to rebuild all three facilities (Natanz, Fordow, Esfahan) entirely, which would likely take years to do. CIA director John Ratcliffe in a statement said that new intelligence from a 'historically reliable' source indicated that 'several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years.' Update: Date: 2025-06-26T06:27:15.000Z Title: Welcome and summary Content: Hello and welcome to the Guardian's continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East. Donald Trump's administration has cited 'new intelligence' to support its initial claim of complete success of the US's weekend attacks on Iran, while criticising a leaked intelligence assessment that suggested Tehran's nuclear programme had been set back by only a few months. The growing row came amid reports that the White House will to try to limit the sharing of classified documents with Congress. 'This was a devastating attack, and it knocked them for a loop,' Trump said on Wednesday, apparently backing away from comments he'd made earlier in the day, that the intelligence was 'inconclusive'. The claim comes after the US president hit back at a leaked intelligence report that said US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities had likely only set back the country's nuclear programme by a few months. Trump had earlier criticised CNN and the New York Times for their reports on the leaked intelligence assessment, claiming they had teamed up to 'demean one of the most successful military strikes in history', and declared Iran's nuclear sites were 'completely destroyed'. The White House earlier called the intelligence assessment 'flat-out wrong'. In other key developments: US senators are also set to meet with top national security officials on Thursday as many question President Donald Trump's decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites — and whether those strikes were ultimately successful. The classified briefing, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday and was delayed, also comes as the Senate is expected to vote this week on a resolution that would require congressional approval if Trump decides to strike Iran again. Donald Trump has weighed in on ally Benjamin Netanyahu's long-running corruption trial, saying in a social media post that the trial was a 'witch hunt' and should be cancelled. 'Bibi and I just went through HELL together, fighting a very tough and brilliant longtime enemy of Israel, Iran, and Bibi could not have been better, sharper, or stronger in his LOVE for the incredible Holy Land,' Trump said on Wednesday night, using a nickname for the Israeli leader. US secretary of state Marco Rubio told Politico on Wednesday that Iran is 'much further away from a nuclear weapon' after a US strike on Iran's three main nuclear sites over the weekend. There is a chance that much of Iran's highly enriched uranium survived Israeli and US attacks because it may have been moved by Tehran soon after the first strikes, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday. Trump said the US will hold talks with Iran next week, with a possible agreement on the table about Tehran's nuclear programme. The US president said that Israel and Iran are 'tired' but the conflict between the two countries could start again. Speaking alongside the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, Trump compared the US strikes on Iran to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, saying: 'This was essentially the same thing: that ended that war; this ended the war.' Mark Rutte defended Donald Trump's swearing outburst on Tuesday when commenting on the Israel-Iran war. 'Daddy sometimes has to use strong language,' Rutte told reporters. France is conducting its own analysis on damage to Iran's nuclear facilities after US and Israeli strikes, French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters on Wednesday. Iranian authorities are pivoting from a ceasefire with Israel to intensify an internal security crackdown across the country with mass arrests, executions and military deployments, particularly in the restive Kurdish region, according to officials and activists. Iran's parliament approved a bill on Wednesday to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, state-affiliated news outlet Nournews reported. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf was quoted by state media as saying Iran would accelerate its civilian nuclear programme.
