What do we know about American air strikes of Iran’s nuclear facilities

US President Donald Trump says the US military has completed strikes at three nuclear sites in Iran, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing war between Iran and Israel.

“We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordu, Nathan and Esfahan. All planes are already out of the air space in Iran,” he wrote at Truth Social.

Trump added that a “complete payload of bombs” was dropped to Fordo, an enrichment plant hidden in the remote mountain end, which is vital to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Israeli officials say they were in “complete coordination” with the United States when planning these strikes.

Iran can respond by heading to US military assets in the region. His employees earlier warned that they would also take revenge that any attack in the United States was at risking a regional war.

Here is a breakdown of what we know so far.

Israel has launched a surprising attack on dozens of Iranian nuclear and military goals on June 13. It says his ambition is to dismantle his nuclear program, for which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would soon be able to produce a nuclear bomb.

Iran insists that his nuclear ambitions be calm. As revenge, Tehran released hundreds of rockets and drones to Israel. The two countries continue to exchange strikes, as in an air war that has now lasted more than a week.

Trump has long said he was against Iran, having a nuclear weapon.

In March, US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabard said that although Iran increased his reserves from Uranus to unprecedented levels, he did not build nuclear weapons – an assessment that Trump recently said was “wrong”.

Along the campaign trail, President Trump criticizes US administrations for participating in Stupid Infinite Wars in the Middle East, and he swore to protect America from foreign conflicts.

The US and Iran were in nuclear conversations during Israel’s surprising attack. Two days ago, President Trump said he would give Iran for two weeks to go into significant negotiations before he was struck – but this time line turned out to be much, much shorter.

One of the sites the US attacked was a secret nuclear site called Fordo. He is hidden far in the mountainous south of Tehran and is believed to be deep underground than the tunnel of the channel connecting the UK and France.

Uranus enrichment is considered by experts to be vital for Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The depth of Fordo under the earth’s surface makes it difficult to reach with Israel’s weapon. It is believed that only the United States has a bomb with a “hopper” bunker, large enough to destroy Fordo.

This American bomb is called the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penerator (MOP). It weighs 13,000 kg (30,000 pounds) and is able to penetrate into about 18 m concrete or 61 m of land before it explodes, according to experts.

Fordo tunnels are thought to be from 80 m to 90 meters below the surface, so the mop is not guaranteed to be successful, but this is the only bomb that can come close.

US officials have confirmed to BBC CBS News partner that MOPS has been used in strikes, with two for each purpose.

It is not clear, but what damage has caused the US attack on nuclear energy enrichment facilities or whether there are injuries or victims.

Iran’s deputy political director Hasan Abedini said Iran evacuated these three nuclear sites “before”.

Appearing on state television, he said Iran “did not suffer a big blow because the materials were already removed.”

Iran said more than 200 people had been killed since the beginning of his last round of battles with Israel and more than 1,200 were injured.

In the meantime, Israel has increased security after US attacks against Iran’s key nuclear sites.

Israel has tightened its public security restrictions across the country, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said.

The superstructure – including a “ban on educational activities, gatherings and jobs” – comes after the United States becomes Iran.

Iran has been significantly weakened by Israel’s attacks against its military bases so far, experts say, as well as the dismantling of his regional proxies in Lebanon (Hezbollah), Syria and Gaza (Hamas). But Iran is still able to cause significant damage.

Iranian officials have warned the United States not to join, saying that it will suffer “irreparable damage” and that it is rising “completely war” in the region.

He threatened to head to US bases in the region in revenge. The United States runs military sites in at least 19 regions in the Middle East, including Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Among the most clear goals for Iran is the 5th Fleet of the US fleet in Mina Salman in Bahrain.

It can also focus on a critical shipping route known as the Hormuz Strait, which connects the Gulf to the Indian Ocean and through which 30% of the world’s oil supply is transported. It can also attack other marine routes that risk destabilizing global markets.

Iran can also focus on the assets of nearby countries, which he perceives to help the US, which risks war on the whole region.

According to US law, the president does not have the only power to officially declare war on another country. Only Congress – legislators selected in the House of Representatives and the Senate – can.

However, the law also states that the president is commander -in -chief of the Armed Forces. This means that it can unleash US troops and conduct military operations without a formal war declaration.

For example, Trump’s decision to conduct air strikes in Syria in 2017 against the Assad regime does not require congressional approval. Instead, Trump acts unilaterally, citing national security and humanitarian reasons.

Some MPs on both sides of the trail have recently tried to limit Trump’s ability to order Iran strikes by promoting a resolution of military forces through congress, although it may take weeks before being placed on an official vote and similar measures are more symbolic than essential.