The conflict between Israel and Iran has dramatically intensified following a joint offensive that saw both the United States and Israel launch coordinated strikes across Iranian territory, targeting military and nuclear facilities. According to top US officials, key elements of Iran’s nuclear programme have been “devastated.”
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed overnight airstrikes on three critical Iranian nuclear sites, stating that the aim was not regime change but to ensure Tehran does not obtain nuclear weapons. “President Trump has consistently stated that Iran must not get a nuclear weapon. These strikes reflect that commitment,” Hegseth said during a Pentagon briefing.
General Dan Caine revealed that the US dropped 14 “Massive Ordnance Penetrators,” commonly known as “bunker busters,” on fortified Iranian targets. BBC Verify has since reviewed satellite images of the Fordo nuclear site, showing at least six large impact craters, indicating the scale and precision of the attack.
In parallel, Israel launched a series of airstrikes across Iran, reportedly targeting dozens of military installations. Iranian media, including the IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency, confirmed that seven members of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and two conscripts were killed in the strikes, with several others injured. The IRGC claims that Israel attacked two key military zones in Iran’s Yazd province.
The Israeli military has claimed responsibility for the killing of several senior IRGC figures since June 13, including Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami, Aerospace Force head Amir Ali Hajizadeh, and IRGC intelligence chief Mohammad Kazemi.
The Iranian Red Crescent has accused Israel of striking hospitals and medical facilities, further inflaming tensions and raising humanitarian concerns.
In a stern warning to Tehran, President Trump urged Iran to “make peace” or face “far greater” attacks in the future. Iran has condemned the strikes, accusing Washington of betrayal and vowing “everlasting consequences.”