The United States has joined Israel and American planes and submarines have struck key sites for the Iranian nuclear program - Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. This was announced by US President Donald Trump in an address to the nation.
"Our goal was to destroy Iran's nuclear fuel enrichment capacity and stop the nuclear threat coming from the world's number one state sponsor of terrorism," he added. Trump threatened Iran that if it does not achieve peace, the next strikes will be "much bigger and much easier".
Iran talks of "long-term consequences"
Iranian authorities confirmed the attacks, although they said that the damage, including to the Fordow complex, which is located deep underground, "is not irreversible". Tehran called on the international community to condemn the attack. "The events of this morning are horrific and will have long-term consequences", wrote Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had not detected any increase in radiation outside the sites.
The United States joins the war on the ninth day
The war between Israel and Iran began on June 13, when Israel carried out heavy strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, killing soldiers and scientists who worked at the nuclear facilities. The day before, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced that Iran was not complying with its obligations to non-proliferate nuclear weapons.
So far, Donald Trump has given different signals about whether and when the United States will join the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the American strikes were "fully coordinated" with Israel.
What's next?
What will be the consequences of the Iran threat remains to be seen. The regime in Tehran has already stated several times that if Washington joins the war, it will strike at American interests in the region. Iran may decide to close the Strait of Hormuz, which is crucial for global trade, including fuel, as well as carry out attacks on American bases in the region.
The UN has called for de-escalation. "There is a growing risk that this conflict will quickly spiral out of control - with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region and the world," said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.