The U.S. hopes its bombing of Iranian nuclear bunkers will force Tehran to collapse, though no outcome is assured. Supporters see a decisive strike against a rogue program that eluded six presidents. Critics fear another endless war just four years after the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal.
On June 21, 2025, President Donald Trump announced from the East Room that B-2 bombers had dropped the most powerful conventional weapons on three key Iranian nuclear sites. “Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s enrichment capacity,” he said. The operation, dubbed Midnight Hammer, was designed to force Tehran into abandoning its program.
Flanked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President JD Vance, Trump warned, “There are many targets left,” signaling the campaign may continue if Iran resists.
The strike underscored Trump’s inner conflict. He has long opposed “forever wars” and campaigned on an America First agenda. Yet his impatience with drawn-out diplomacy, coupled with support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who views Iran’s program as an existential threat—drove him toward military action.
While many Republican leaders backed the move, some MAGA figures like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene opposed it, warning, “This is not our fight.” Democrats blasted Trump for bypassing Congress, reviving debates over the War Powers Act and echoes of Iraq.
Netanyahu hailed the strikes as “a historical turning point.” But Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi accused Trump of deceiving voters and vowed the U.S. would bear “sole and full responsibility.” He stopped short of detailing Iran’s response.
Hours later, Iranian missiles were fired toward Israel, raising fears of escalation. Meanwhile, Araghchi prepared to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, who supports Tehran but remains focused on his own war.
For now, this is Trump’s war—his gamble, his legacy, and America’s new uncertainty.
