Trump claims U.S. strikes 'completely and fully obliterated' Iranian nuclear sites

The latest:

The U.S. military struck three sites in Iran early Sunday, directly joining Israel 's war aimed at decapitating the country's nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran's threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict.

Addressing the nation from the White House, President Donald Trump claimed Iran's key nuclear sites were "completely and fully obliterated." He also warned Tehran against carrying out retaliatory attacks against the United States, saying Iran has a choice between "peace or tragedy."

Iran's nuclear agency confirmed that attacks hit its Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz atomic sites but insisted that its work will not be stopped.

Iran said there were "no signs of contamination" at its nuclear sites after U.S. airstrikes targeted the facilities. Iranian state media quoted the country's national nuclear safety system centre, which published a statement saying its radiation detectors had recorded no radioactive release after the strikes.

"There is no danger to the residents living around the aforementioned sites," the statement added.

The decision to directly involve the U.S. comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that have moved to systematically eradicate the country's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, while damaging its nuclear enrichment facilities.

But U.S. and Israeli officials have said that American stealth bombers and a 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb they alone can carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear program buried deep underground.

"We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan," Trump said in a post on social media. "All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump's decision to attack in a video message directed at the American president.

"Your bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities, with the awesome and righteous might of the United States, will change history," he said. Netanyahu said the U.S. "has done what no other country on Earth could do."

Israel Airports Authority announced Sunday it was closing the country's airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. It did not say for how long.

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Saturday branded the U.S. strikes on Iran as a "dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge," adding that there is "no military solution" to the current conflict.

The White House and Pentagon did not immediately elaborate on the operation. But Fox News host Sean Hannity said shortly after 9 p.m. ET that he had spoken with Trump and that six bunker-buster bombs were used on the Fordow facility. Hannity said 30 Tomahawk missiles fired by U.S. submarines 400 miles (644 kilometres) away struck the Iranian nuclear sites of Natanz and Isfahan.