‘Gone’: US move stopped world in its tracks
The US launched a surprise attack against Iran — and now there are fears things are about to “get out of hand quickly”.
The United States has joined Israel’s war against Iran, with President Donald Trump announcing American warplanes had dropped bombs on three nuclear sites in Iran – but a dispute is emerging as to how much damage was done.
The three sites that were hit included Iran’s mountain facility at Fordo, the heavily fortified underground facility in Iran that is critical to its nuclear program, and a larger plant at Natanz, which had already been targeted by Iran.
The third site was at Isfahan, which is where Iran is believed to keep its near-bomb-grade enriched uranium.
“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,” Mr Trump announced on social media.
Later in a speech at the White House, Mr Trump said the attack’s objective was “the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capability and a stop to the world’s number one state sponsor of terror”.
“I can report to the world the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” he said.
“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.”
Iranian officials have hit back at Trump’s claim that their nuclear facilities were “obliterated”.
Mohammad Manan Raisi, a lawmaker based near Fordow, told the Fars news agency the facility had not been seriously damaged.
Retired US army officer John Spencer has told the ABC News the 13 tonne massive ordnance penetrators used in the attack could strike about 60 metres into the ground.
“Fordow is anywhere from 30-400 feet (nine to 121m deep). It’s not one small site; it’s multiple sites,” he said.
Iran built the facility at Fordo in the 2000s, knowing that it needed to bury it deep to prevent it from being attacked.
Iranian state media reported the three nuclear sites had been evacuated “some time ago”.
An official also told the IRNA news agency: “There are no materials in these three nuclear sites that cause radiation.”
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the US strikes on Iran were a “dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.”
“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,” he said.
“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”
Many believed the bombing could stop the potential of a weaonpised nuclear bomb from being created.
US security analyst Mike Lyons told the ABC News the attack on Fordow meant Iran’s nuclear program was now crippled and its uranium “enrichment program is over, that they won’t have any capability to create a weaponised nuclear bomb”.
Israel had claimed Iran was rapidly nearing the capability of creating nuclear weapons, which Iran had denied alleging it was for a peaceful purposes such as a civilian power program.
The US intelligence community has determined Iran’s leaders were not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon, but did describe its uranium stockpile as unprecedented.
CBS news is also reporting that the US had reached out to Iran diplomatically on Saturday to indicate the strikes on nuclear facilities is the only attack planned by Washington and it wasn’t seeking to force a regime change.
Mr Trump “continues to hold out hope that diplomacy will now be able to proceed”, according to CNN network’s sources.
However, Mr Spencer warned that Iran could still go the “irrational route” and retaliate.
“It could go with Hezbollah, which still has a lot of capabilities, against Israel, (and where) there are hundred of thousands of American citizens,” he said.
“It could (activate) Shia-backed militia groups in Iraq to attack American bases. It’s ballistic program, which is about 50 per cent destroyed, it could make that fatal mistake of launching ballistic missiles at American bases within its range.”
Other experts argue that Iran might see a disproportionate attack as the only way to deter further strikes and could target American bases.
Jonathan Panikoff, the director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council, said Iran could seek full retaliation, which would mean “a significant escalatory spiral that could get out of hand quickly”.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee, who heads the IDF’s Arab media unit, indicated that it is anticipating a reliatory attack and issued a warning.
“It was decided to move all regions of the country to the level of essential work,” he wrote on X.
“The instructions include prohibiting educational activities, gatherings, and work centres, with the exception of essential work areas.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video in response to the US attack on Iran.
“Congratulations President Trump,” he said.
“Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history.”
“(The United States) has done what no other country on Earth could do,” he continues.
“That President Trump acted to deny the world’s most regime the world’s most dangerous weapons.”
Meanwhile, the reaction from US politicians has been mixed.
Republican Senate leader John Thune supported the bombing declaring “the misguided pursuit of nuclear weapons must be stopped”.
“As we take action tonight to ensure a nuclear weapon remains out of reach for Iran, I stand with President Trump and pray for the American troops and personnel in harm’s way,” he wrote on X.
There are more than 40,000 US troops and civilians working for the Pentagon in the Middle East, across several countries and they could be in Iran’s direct line of fire depending on the country’s response.
While the US had pulled personnel out of the Middle East earlier this month, the largest land base, according to The Washington Post, is the Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq – about 240 kilometres west of Baghdad.
It houses thousands of troops and has been attacked in the past by Iran. US troops are also in other locations include Jordan, Syria, Turkey and the Persian Gulf.
Omar Rahman, from the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told the ABC that Iran is likely to retaliate and the US attack could push it further towards its nuclear program.
“Iran has its back to the wall for the moment and it needs to retaliate to show some sort of credibility for the regime,” he said.
“I think you’re going to see some sort of military response here against US assets and military installations in the region That could be against aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, it could be against any number of the bases and tens of thousands of US soldiers stationed in the region.”
Meanwhile, US Republican senator Lindsey Graham described it as “the right call” adding the “regime deserves it”.
However, Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie said the US attack was “not constitutional”.
US senator and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders condemned the attack as “grossly unconstitutional”.
“All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the US Congress. The president does not have the right,” he said.
Republican Congress representative for Georgia Marjorie Taylor Greene criticised the attack saying it was “not our fight”.
“Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war,” she wrote on X.
“There would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran first. Israel is a nuclear armed nation. This is not our fight. Peace is the answer.”
New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for Mr Trump’s impeachment. She described the strike as “disastrous” and accused the US president of having “impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations.”
“It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment,” she said.
Back in Australia, a government spokesperson said they “have been clear that Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program has been a threat to international peace and security”.
“We note the US president’s statement that now is the time for peace. The security situation in the region is highly volatile,” they added.
“We continue to call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.
“Australians in Israel and Iran and the region should continue to monitor public safety information provided by local authorities, including to shelter in place when required.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be communicating directly with registered Australians about preparations for assisted departures.”
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has backed the United States’ attack on Iran.
“The Coalition supports actions taken by the United States of America to ensure that the Iranian regime is stopped from acquiring nuclear weapons,” Ms Ley said.
“While Australians will never seek conflict in the world we can never forget that the Iranian regime is a militantly theocratic autocracy. It expressly seeks the destruction of our allies, enacts extrajudicial killings of political dissidents and brutally represses the rights of women and girls.”
“The Coalition stands with the United States of America today. We can never allow the Iranian regime the capacity to enact its objectives of the destruction of the United States and Israel.”
But The Greens labelled the attack a “blatant breach of international law”.
“From Iraq to Afghanistan, we have seen Australia follow the US into devastating and brutal wars that have done untold damage to the people of the Middle East. We know that you cannot bomb your way to peace,” Greens leader Larissa Waters said.
“Australia must always work for peace and de-escalation. Australia is not powerless, and we cannot be involved in another brutal war in the Middle East.
“Australia must take this opportunity to get out of AUKUS, have an independent foreign policy that centres peace, and must not allow the use of Australian US military bases like Pine Gap in this conflict.”
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