US confirms 14 'bunker-buster' bombs dropped on critical Iran nuclear sites

In a statement delivered at the White House,Trump thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,the Israeli military,and ‘the great American patriots who flew those magnificant machines’.

Flanked by Vice President JD Vance,Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth,he said: ‘Tonight,I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success.

‘Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.’

US authorities said they had heightened security in major cities including New York and Washington after the strikes on Iran.

In New York City,there was an increased police presence at religious,cultural,and diplomatic sites seen as possible targets for retaliation.

In a statement this morning,UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the US had taken action to ‘alleviate’ the ‘grave threat to international security’ posed by the Iranian nuclear programme.

A satellite image of the Isfahan nuclear site in Iran after it was hit by an Israeli strike (Picture: Maxar Technologies/AFP via Getty Images)

He added: ‘The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.’

What bombs were used in the US strikes?

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency confirmed the Fordow,Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites had been attacked.

Speculation over a potential US strike on Iran has been building for the past week,with Trump refusing to commit one way or the other.

At a White House press briefing on Thursday,press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president would decide whether to go ahead with the action ‘within the next two weeks’.

The bombs were dropped just two days later.

Donald Trump announced the raid in a White House address,joined by Vice President JD Vance,Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth (Picture: Carlos Barria/AFP via Getty Images)

There were questions over whether the US might deploy its 13,500kg ‘bunker buster’ bomb to penetrate the deepest levels of the Fordo facility.

While Trump confirmed B-2 stealth bombers had been involved in the raid,it was General Caine who confirmed the use of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs at a press conference today.

B-2 bombers are only used by the US military,and they are the only aircraft capable of carrying and delivering the penetrator bomb.

This morning’s raid marked the first ever operational use of the weapon,General Caine said.

What will happen next?

Following the announcement,Trump posted on his Truth Social site that any retaliation against the US by Iran would be ‘MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT’.

Spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry Esmail Baghaei previously declared ‘any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region’.

However,CBS News reported US officials had contacted Iran to say there were no plans for further attacks beyond the missile strikes.

In his post on X this morning,Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi made clear retaliation would be possible.

He wrote: ‘In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense,Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty,interest,and people.’