There are 4 things that came out of the U.S. airstrikes on Iran
Iran’s reaction to the Fordo attack on Saturday: A violation of the United States’ constitutional right to war and a violation of international law
The Fordo site was hit by the attack, along with Isfchan and Natanz. The extent of damage to the underground Fordo site was “not immediately possible to assess,” the agency said, adding that Natanz and Isfahan suffered additional damage in the U.S. bombings after previously being struck by Israeli forces.
“Final battle damage will take some time,” Caine said, “but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.”
The administration is trying to figure out how effective the strike was in degrading Iran’s ability to build a nuclear weapon.
The reaction of politicians did not fall solely on party lines. Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie said Congress “has the sole authority to authorize war” and should have been called back from vacation before the attack.
“That wasn’t the case here, and I think certainly for the 40,000 troops in at least six countries in the Middle East — we have a lot of bases in the Middle East — those troops are now at greater risk,” Kelly added.
Mark Kelly said on Meet The Press that Iran wasn’t an immediate threat to the U.S before the strike. When there is a clear threat to the United States to the homeland, the commander-in-chief has the right to act.
Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the highest ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called the strike a “a clear violation of the Constitution, which grants the power to declare war explicitly to Congress.”
Yet many Democrats accused Trump of sidestepping the Constitution by directing the military to attack Iran without seeking Congressional approval first.
House Speaker Mike Johnson “made the right call, and did what he needed to do”, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Iran had “rejected all diplomatic pathways to peace.”
Iran is now pondering how it will respond to the US attack on its nuclear program. The US can start a war, but we will be the ones to end it, said a video released by the Revolutionary Guards.
Earlier in June, Israel began bombing nuclear facilities and other sites across Iran. The two countries have traded attacks since then, with the U.S. assisting in intercepting missiles and drones. The US did not get involved in the offensive until after the strikes on Saturday.
The United Nations Charter and international law have been violated by the US military operation, Iran’s foreign minister said.
Operation Midnight Hammer: a State-Field-Induced Bomber-Bose Attack against Iran’s Nuclear Program
The mission, dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” began at midnight on Friday when a group of B-2 stealth bombers took off from an Air Force base near Kansas City, Mo., according to Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Dan Caine, who briefed reporters on Sunday.
75 precision guided weapons were dropped on the three locations because of a mission that involved more than 125 aircraft. They said the attack was against Iran’s nuclear program, not its military or people.
Bunker-buster bombs describe a type of munition that can burrow deep into the ground before exploding and are designed for attacking fortified subterranean targets.
A submarine launched more than two dozen missiles at the nuclear site of Iran just as the bombers were entering the country.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounced the strikes during a press conference in Istanbul on Sunday. “The war-mongering and lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression,” he said.
Several Israeli politicians were happy with the strikes. The Israeli prime minister gave a video message in which he thanks Trump, and the Knesset leader said that the US military made the world a safer place.
The Secretary-General was alarmed by the use of force by the US and warned that it could pose a threat to international peace.
In a Truth Social post Sunday afternoon, Trump floated the possibility of regime change in Iran. “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!
Source: 4 takeaways on the U.S. airstrikes on Iran — and what might come next
Iran’s nuclear activity is still far from finished, and there may still be enriched uranium in the U.S.
The State Department doubled the number of emergency flights from Israel for American citizens, and is moving nonessential staff from the US embassy in Lebanon.
Caine said U.S. forces remain on high alert and would respond to any “Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks.” The U.S. operates permanent military bases in several countries near Iran, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The IAEA said it was surprised by the jump in off site radiation that had not yet been reported by Iran and didn’t expect any adverse effects on people outside of the three sites.
According to two independent experts who analyzed commercial satellite imagery, Iran’s nuclear enterprise is far from finished, and there may still be some enriched uranium.
The NPR Picture Show: From Harpersville to the U.S. Airstrikes: Inside the Story of Black Descendants
In a small town in Alabama, the Republican Party has referred to the county as the reddest in the US because of its Black history. It addresses what happened in Harpersville after enslaved people were emancipated, granted their freedom and not much else. NPR’s Picture Show spoke with Tyler Jones, who is part of 1504, the narrative studio behind the project. The studio has been working with the Wallace Center for Arts and Reconciliation to give the stories of Black Descendants a new look. The significance of transforming the plantation from 1841 to a space dedicated to reparative history was highlighted by Jones. Check out this inside look at the project through photos and videos.
The National High School Musical Theatre Awards are in New York City and there are more than 100 high school theater stars there. Nominees from Broadway come together to put on a show in 10 days. The competition begins with around 150,000 students from various schools nationwide, who are ultimately narrowed down to a select group of finalists who will perform at the award ceremony held at the Minskoff Theatre. The top two awards of the night are best actor and best actress in a musical. Listen to students who are competing for a chance to win a Jimmy.
Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that Israel will not end the conflict until its objectives are achieved, and that it will not be dragged into a war of attrition. Israel wants to degrade Iran’s missiles and nuclear program.
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