A close aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of swift retaliation against the United States following its airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The threat, published in Iran’s hardline Kayhan newspaper, comes amid surging tensions in the Middle East.

Hossein Shariatmadari, managing editor of Kayhan and a longtime confidant of Khamenei, called for an immediate missile strike on the US naval fleet stationed in Bahrain and the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz to Western vessels. “It is now our turn to act without delay,” he wrote, suggesting coordinated retaliation against American, British, German, and French maritime interests in the region.

The US carried out strikes on Saturday targeting Iran’s key nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan—following heightened hostilities between Israel and Iran. President Donald Trump called the attacks a “spectacular military success” and warned of even greater strikes if Iran does not “seek peace.”

While Khamenei has not yet issued a direct response to the US strikes, his official Telegram account reposted a video from an earlier speech in which he warned the US against entering the Iran-Israel conflict. “The damage it will suffer will be far greater than any harm Iran will encounter,” Khamenei stated.

Iran’s leadership has consistently framed the US involvement as a grave escalation, with officials cautioning that Tehran’s response will be “decisive and unavoidable.” The potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil shipments, could have significant geopolitical and economic ramifications.

With calls for military retaliation growing louder within Tehran’s political circles, the region remains on edge, awaiting the next move in a rapidly evolving conflict.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on Sunday that no abnormal radiation levels have been detected off-site following the U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

In a brief statement posted on social media platform X, the UN nuclear watchdog stated, “The IAEA can confirm that no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported as of this time.” It added that further assessments would be provided as more data becomes available.

The confirmation came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out precision strikes on Iran’s three primary nuclear enrichment sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. Speaking from the White House, Trump declared the mission a “spectacular military success” and said the facilities had been “completely and totally obliterated.”

Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran, urging it to pursue peace or face even more devastating attacks in the future. “Iran the bully of the Middle East must now make peace,” he said, flanked by senior administration officials including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The U.S. action follows over a week of intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran, with rising fears of regional escalation. Satellite imagery released by Maxar Technologies earlier in the week showed heightened activity around Iran’s Fordow facility, adding to global concern.

The IAEA’s reassurance that there is no current radiation threat offers some relief amid fears of environmental fallout, but experts warn that the long-term impact on nuclear infrastructure and geopolitical stability remains to be seen.

President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States conducted targeted airstrikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran—Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan—marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared, “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran… All planes are safely on their way home.” He praised the operation as a demonstration of unmatched American military capability and added, “NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!”

While Trump did not confirm the aircraft used, sources told Reuters that the US deployed B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, capable of carrying the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. This bunker-busting bomb is designed to destroy deeply buried targets like Iran’s fortified Fordow nuclear facility.

Earlier reports indicated that six B-2 bombers had been spotted en route to Guam from Whiteman Air Force Base, hinting at a buildup ahead of the strike.

The attack follows over a week of aerial combat between Israel and Iran that has claimed hundreds of lives and left critical infrastructure in ruins. Israel initiated the conflict with a surprise wave of airstrikes on June 13, targeting Iranian military assets and nuclear facilities.

Despite claims by Tehran that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes, both Israel and now the US have acted to prevent what they allege is Iran’s rapid path toward nuclear weaponization.

As global leaders call for restraint, Trump’s announcement signals a high-stakes pivot in American involvement, with widespread implications for regional stability, energy security, and diplomatic negotiations in West Asia.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned recent remarks by India’s Home Minister asserting that the Indus Waters Treaty “will never be restored.” In an official statement issued on Saturday, the Pakistani Foreign Office termed the assertion a “brazen disregard” for the sanctity of international agreements.

“The Indus Waters Treaty is not a political arrangement, but an international treaty with no provision for unilateral action,” said the spokesperson. Islamabad warned that India’s decision to unilaterally suspend or hold the treaty in abeyance was a clear violation of international law and the treaty’s own provisions, calling it a dangerous precedent in inter-state relations.

The statement accused India of attempting to “weaponize water for political ends,” labeling the move irresponsible and contrary to globally accepted norms of responsible state conduct.

Calling on New Delhi to rescind its “unilateral and unlawful stance,” Pakistan reaffirmed its firm commitment to the treaty and vowed to take all necessary measures to protect its legitimate rights and entitlements under the agreement.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, governs the sharing of waters from the Indus River system between India and Pakistan. Despite decades of political tension and conflict, the treaty has largely survived as a rare example of sustained bilateral cooperation. The latest developments, however, have cast a shadow over its future amid escalating diplomatic hostility.

As Israel’s airstrikes pound the Iranian capital in the most intense military assault since the 1980s Iran-Iraq war, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has taken the rare step of naming potential successors, while retreating to a secure underground bunker to direct wartime operations.

According to three Iranian officials familiar with the matter, Ayatollah Khamenei has suspended electronic communications to avoid detection and now interacts with military commanders through a single trusted aide. He has identified replacements for key military roles in case of further assassinations and named three senior clerics as possible successors should he himself be killed.

The move is seen as an unprecedented acknowledgment of the threat to Iran’s leadership and the dire circumstances of a conflict that has, in just one week, inflicted greater destruction on Tehran than eight years of bombardment by Saddam Hussein.

Ayatollah Khamenei, 86, has instructed the Assembly of Experts to appoint one of the three identified clerics immediately in the event of his death, bypassing the usual months-long deliberation process to ensure regime continuity. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, long rumored as a potential successor, is reportedly not among the chosen names.

Israel’s strikes have destroyed military installations, nuclear sites, and energy infrastructure while killing top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists, many in targeted attacks on civilian areas. In response, Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, hitting Israeli facilities including a hospital and oil refinery in Haifa.

Iranian authorities now fear not only further Israeli bombardments but also internal sabotage. Officials have admitted to a “massive security and intelligence breach” and say covert Israeli operatives helped coordinate strikes from within Iran. As a result, top officials have been ordered underground, and all electronic communications among high-ranking personnel have been suspended.

In a video address this week, Khamenei vowed that “the people of Iran will stand against a forced war,” reaffirming his commitment to resist Israeli aggression.

Meanwhile, Iran is also bracing for potential U.S. involvement, as President Donald Trump weighs entering the conflict. American B-2 bombers reportedly carrying bunker-buster bombs have been deployed to Guam, potentially signaling readiness to strike Iran’s fortified nuclear site at Fordow.

To prevent further infiltration, Iran has enforced a communications blackout, blocked international calls, and issued a deadline for collaborators to surrender by Sunday or face execution. Security checkpoints have been established across Tehran, which now appears largely deserted following Israeli evacuation warnings.

Despite the destruction, a renewed sense of unity is emerging among Iranians. Videos and reports show citizens offering food, shelter, and emotional support to one another. “We are scared, but we are also giving each other solidarity,” said a businessman taking refuge near the Caspian Sea.

Nobel laureate and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, who has long opposed the regime, warned against foreign military intervention. “Democracy cannot come through violence and war,” she told the BBC.

As Iran faces mounting casualties, devastated infrastructure, and uncertainty over its leadership, the war with Israel is reshaping the Islamic Republic’s internal dynamics, potentially setting the stage for a pivotal chapter in the nation’s history.

A formation of six U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers has been spotted en route to Guam from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, just hours ahead of President Donald Trump’s anticipated return to the White House. According to flight tracking data and voice communications with air traffic control, the bombers appeared to have refueled midair, indicating a potentially heavy onboard payload.

Defense experts believe these aircraft may be carrying GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators—commonly referred to as bunker-buster bombs—uniquely capable of targeting deeply buried nuclear facilities such as Iran’s Fordow site. The B-2 is the only platform in the U.S. arsenal capable of carrying these 15-ton munitions.

Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said, “Destroying Fordow from the air is a job only the U.S. can do.” Jonathan Ruhe, Director of Foreign Policy at JINSA, explained that the bombs are engineered to penetrate deep layers of earth, rock, and reinforced concrete before detonating underground to collapse or neutralize hardened targets.

The military movement coincides with President Trump’s scheduled intelligence briefings this weekend with the National Security Council. Trump is expected to make a decision on potential U.S. involvement in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.

This development follows Trump’s public disagreement with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who had testified in March that Iran was not actively building nuclear weapons. Trump insisted that Iran is “very close” to assembling one and that the U.S. “won’t let it happen.” Gabbard has since clarified her position, stating that Iran is in a position to produce a nuclear weapon “within weeks to months” if it chooses to proceed.

Meanwhile, the State Department announced fresh sanctions on Friday, targeting eight entities and one individual linked to the procurement of proliferation-sensitive machinery from China for Iran’s defense industry.

These rapid developments reflect growing U.S. concern over the possibility of Iran achieving nuclear weapon capability and signal that Washington is preparing all options—including military intervention—to prevent that outcome.