U.S. launches strikes on 3 Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump says

Washington — The United States launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, President Trump said Saturday evening. 

“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.”

The president plans to address the nation at 10 p.m. ET, and CBS News will have live coverage.

In a follow-up post, Mr. Trump wrote: “This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISTAEL (sic), AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!” The U.S. has directly entered the conflict after Israel began an assault on Iran on June 13, prompting Iran to retaliate as the two countries have engaged in ongoing strikes.  

Iran has pledged to retaliate if the U.S. joined the Israeli assault, which began with airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites and military targets on June 13. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks on Israeli cities.

Fordo, the site of an enrichment facility that international experts believe is key to Iran’s nuclear program, is buried almost 300 feet beneath a mountain and protected by significant air defenses. 

Experts have believed the best chance at destroying the facility lies with the U.S.-produced “bunker-buster” bomb known as the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP — a bomb is so heavy that it could only be dropped by an American B-2 bomber. 

Earlier Saturday, multiple U.S. officials had confirmed to CBS News that B-2 bombers had departed Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri en route to Guam. Multiple U.S. aerial refueling tankers were spotted on commercial flight trackers flying flight patterns consistent with escorting aircraft from the central U.S. to the Pacific.

The U.S. strikes come after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with European officials in Geneva Friday and said he was open to further dialogue. 

This is a developing story and will be updated.