Trump announced overnight that American forces had struck three Iranian nuclear facilities, declaring the attacks "spectacularly successful" and calling for peace. The operation, designated "Midnight Hammer," involved B-2 bombers flying 37 hours non-stop to drop bunker-buster weapons on underground installations.
Coverage emphasized the contradiction between Trump's campaign promise of "no endless wars" and his direct entry into the Israel-Iran conflict. Analysts noted Netanyahu's success in drawing America into the regional war, describing this as "gigantic and not to be underestimated."
By afternoon, Iran threatened retaliation and declared diplomacy finished, though uncertainty remained about closing the Strait of Hormuz. Oil markets reacted sharply to the escalation. The IAEA reported that underground damage from the strikes could not be assessed.
The strikes represented Trump's abandonment of isolationist policies and his emergence as the primary actor in Middle Eastern conflicts, following days of previous Israeli operations against Iranian facilities.