President Donald Trump on Tuesday declared that Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been “completely and totally obliterated” following U.S. airstrikes on three key nuclear sites, and vowed that Tehran would “never rebuild” its program. The remarks came just before Trump departed for the NATO Summit in The Hague, amid escalating tensions and a faltering ceasefire between Iran and Israel.
“The country’s nuclear capacities are gone,” Trump told reporters. “They will never rebuild their nuclear program. It’s over.”
The president’s comments followed a series of posts on Truth Social, including one in all caps:
Operation Midnight Hammer
The U.S. military operation, dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities. According to the Pentagon, the strikes inflicted “extremely severe damage.” Independent assessments, however, suggest that while surface infrastructure was hit, the extent of damage to Iran’s underground centrifuge systems remains uncertain.
Iranian officials have condemned the strikes and warned of “everlasting consequences.”
Ceasefire in Crisis
Trump’s forceful rhetoric came just hours after both Iran and Israel were accused of violating a U.S.-brokered ceasefire announced Monday. The agreement, which Trump described as a “Complete and Total Ceasefire,” quickly unraveled.
As Virginia Times earlier reported, Trump lashed out Tuesday morning, delivering a blistering rebuke to both nations:
In a series of urgent Truth Social posts, Trump attempted to rein in the conflict:
In another post, he wrote:
Despite his insistence that the ceasefire remained “in effect,” both sides resumed hostilities. Israeli officials reported that two missiles were launched from Iran into northern Israel, prompting air raid sirens and civilian evacuations.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied any formal ceasefire agreement, stating on X:
Fallout and Global Reaction
The renewed violence has drawn sharp international concern. Israel’s military vowed to “respond with force” to what it called a “severe violation” of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Iran maintains it was acting in self-defense.
President Trump credited Qatar for brokering the initial ceasefire and praised both nations for ending what he called “THE 12 DAY WAR.” But with conflicting narratives and continued missile exchanges, the ceasefire’s legitimacy remains in doubt.
As Trump arrives in The Hague, NATO leaders are expected to press him on the legality of the strikes and the future of U.S. engagement in the region.
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