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What you need to know about the conflict between Israel and Iran, and the U.S. intervention

Published: 22 Jun. 2025, 17:44

Protesters gather outside the White House to demonstrate against military intervention in the Israel-Iranian conflict in Washington, DC on June 18. [UPI/YONHAP]

The United States has inserted itself into Israel's war against Iran, bombing three of the Islamic Republic's key nuclear sites overnight. U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that the sites were “completely and fully obliterated,” and warned there would be additional strikes if Iran retaliates.

The U.S. attacks came after a week of open conflict between Israel and Iran, sparked by Israel's sudden barrage of attacks against Iran’s nuclear and military structure.

Israeli strikes began on June 13. Targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites, they killed several top military officials and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated by firing hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, some of which penetrated the country’s vaunted multitiered air defense system. The war so far has killed hundreds of people and wounded more than 1,000 in Iran and killed two dozen and wounded hundreds in Israel.

Iran insists its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. But Israel views Iran’s nuclear program as an existential threat, and has said its military campaign is necessary to prevent Iran from building an atomic weapon.

Although U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb, Trump and Israeli leaders have argued it could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat.

The region has been on edge for the past two years as Israel seeks to annihilate the Hamas militant group, an Iranian ally, in the Gaza Strip, where war still rages after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.

Here’s what to know about the conflict between Israel and Iran, and the United States' intervention:

President Donald Trump announced the overnight “massive precision strikes” on Iran's Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites in a televised address to the nation from the White House. Describing them as “a spectacular military success,” he said they had “completely and fully obliterated” the nuclear sites. Iran, he said, would now have to make peace.

Iran's Atomic Energy Organization confirmed the attacks, but insisted its nuclear program will not be stopped. Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog agency said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes.

The nuclear fuel enrichment site at Fordo is buried deep beneath a mountain, and the attack against it used bunker-buster bombs designed to penetrate the ground before exploding, a U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. Only the United States has the 30,000-pound (13,600-kilogram) munition and the stealth bombers used to deliver them.

U.S. submarines also launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles during the attack, according to another U.S. official who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump warned there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against U.S. forces.

“There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,” he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s decision to attack.

“Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, with the awesome and righteous might of the United States, will change history,” he said in a video message directed at the U.S. president. The United States, he said, “has done what no other country on earth could do.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned in a post on X Sunday that the U.S. attacks “will have everlasting consequences” and that Tehran “reserves all options” to retaliate.

Iranian missiles struck areas in northern and central Israel, an Israeli rescue service said, wounding at least 16 people and damaging several buildings. Israel’s military said it had “swiftly neutralized” the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes toward military targets in western Iran.

In a lengthy statement posted Sunday morning, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the “United States has itself launched a dangerous war against Iran.” It said Iran "reserves its right to resist with full force against U.S. military aggression and the crimes committed by this rogue regime, and to defend Iran’s security and national interests.”

UN secretary general António Guterres said he was “gravely alarmed” by the United States' use of force, and called the strikes a “dangerous escalation.” World leaders issued calls for diplomacy.

“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control — with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region and the world,” Guterres said in a statement on the social media platform X. “I call on Member States to de-escalate.”

“There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy.”

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who had threatened to resume attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joined Israel’s military campaign, called on other Muslim nations to form “one front against the Zionist-American arrogance.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had warned the United States on Wednesday that strikes against Iran would “result in irreparable damage for them.”

The Israeli military said Saturday it was preparing for the possibility of a lengthy war, while Iran’s foreign minister warned before the U.S. attack that U.S. military involvement “would be very, very dangerous for everyone.”

AP