US President Donald Trump has said Iran "must now make peace" following a series of American airstrikes targeting key nuclear facilities in the country.
Speaking from White House shortly after the strikes, Trump confirmed that the US military had hit sites at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan – all believed to be central to Iran’s nuclear programme.
"Everyone heard those names for years as they built this horrible destructive enterprise," the president said. "Tonight I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success."
Trump added: "Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated."
He warned that if Tehran did not seek peace, “future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier”.
Regional reaction
In Yemen, the Houthi movement, which is aligned with Iran, issued a blunt warning to the United States. Hezam al-Asad, a senior figure in the group’s political bureau, wrote on social media: “Washington must bear the consequences.”
The strikes have raised fears of a wider regional conflict and drawn condemnation from several international figures.
UN chief warns of escalation
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the developments, describing the US attacks as a “dangerous escalation”.
“I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today. This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security,” he said in a statement.
US strikes 3 Iranian nuclear sites, enters Israeli-led conlflict
“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,” he warned. “I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law. At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”
There has been no immediate response from Iranian officials.
Sources: with inputs from BBC, Al Jazeera