US strikes on Iran: What we know so far

The US strikes on Iran early on Sunday marked a significant escalation in the ongoing Israeli war on Iran.

At midnight GMT (8pm Washington time), President Donald Trump announced that US bombers had struck three Iranian nuclear sites. 

He claimed all three had been "obliterated".

However, the extent of the damage and the precise impact of the strikes remains unclear.

Middle East Eye takes a closer look at what we know so far.

Which facilities were targeted? 

US forces targeted three major nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

Isfahan houses a prominent nuclear research centre, while Fordow and Natanz are key uranium enrichment sites.

Earlier reports suggest that Israeli warplanes had previously hit Natanz, cutting power to its centrifuge hall and potentially damaging the equipment.

Fordow, considered one of Iran's most fortified facilities, is located 80–90 metres underground in a mountainous area.

Israel had avoided striking Fordow earlier in the war, lacking munitions capable of penetrating to such depths.

The White House has not disclosed what munitions were used, though a US official said B-2 heavy bombers took part in the operation.

The scale of damage is still unknown, and no casualties have been confirmed so far.

Could there be a nuclear disaster? 

Iranian officials have downplayed the impact of US strikes on nuclear sites, saying there is no threat to nearby residents, according to state media.

The Crisis Management Headquarters in Qom province, where the Fordow facility is located, told Iran's state-run news agency IRNA: "There is no danger to the people of Qom and the surrounding area."

Al Jazeera also cited an official who claimed Fordow had been "long evacuated" and had not sustained any irreversible damage.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority said no radioactive effects had been detected in Gulf countries.

How has Iran responded?

Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation condemned the strikes as "a barbaric act" and a violation of international law, including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the attack would have "everlasting consequences" and said Iran "reserves all options" in its response.

"The events this morning are outrageous," Araghchi wrote on X. "Every UN member should be alarmed by this dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour."

State media reported that Iran has formally requested an emergency UN Security Council session to prevent further escalation.

Earlier on Sunday, Israel said Iran fired dozens of ballistic missiles towards Tel Aviv and Haifa, killing 23 civilians after US warplanes struck Iran's nuclear facilities. 

What weapons did America use to bomb Iran?

The White House has not clarified what weapons were used to bomb the Iranian nuclear sites.

But a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity told the New York Times that multiple 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs were dropped on Fordow.

The attack marks the first time the US military has used those bunker-buster bombs in combat.

The US official added that navy submarines fired 30 cruise missiles at Natanz and Isfahan.

Earlier on Sunday, US officials told Reuters that B-2 bombers, which are capable of carrying bunker-buster bombs, were moved to Guam in the Pacific Islands. 

The B-2 could be equipped with 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or bunker-buster bombs, designed to destroy targets deep underground.

One B-2 stealth fighter jet also dropped two bunker-buster bombs on Natanz, the US official said.

How has Israel responded?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump for ordering the strikes.

He called it an act of "awesome and righteous might" that would "change history".

In a video address, Netanyahu said the United States had "done what no other country on Earth could do".

Trump, in turn, lauded Netanyahu, saying the two leaders had "worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before" and had taken a major step towards "erasing this horrible threat to Israel".