Israeli president calls US strike on Iran “historic” and “bold step”

In an interview with the BBC, Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the U.S. decision to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities as a “historic” and “bold step.”

Responding to a question from presenter Laura Kuenssberg about the extent of the damage, Herzog said he did not have precise information but noted that “it is quite clear that Iran’s nuclear program has suffered significant damage.”

When asked whether Israel had directly requested the U.S. to carry out the strike, Herzog replied: “We decided to leave that to the Americans’ discretion.” He emphasised that he had not been informed in advance about the operation: “I was woken up when it happened,” he added.

Pressed on whether Israel would now halt its strikes on Iranian territory, Herzog avoided a direct answer, stating only that “Iran continues to fire on Israeli territory, and we must do whatever is necessary to protect ourselves from missiles.”

He concluded by stressing the need for an international effort to resolve the crisis: “A solution must be found at the international level. A strategy for exiting the crisis is necessary.”

The already tense situation between Israel and Iran deteriorated sharply as US President Donald Trump announced late on June 21 that American forces conducted airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The attacks, described by Trump as a “spectacular military success,” aimed to dismantle Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities, which the US and Israel claim pose a severe threat to global security.

The US operation involved B-2 Spirit stealth bombers deploying GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs), 30,000-pound “bunker-buster” bombs designed to penetrate deeply buried targets. The primary target, Fordow, is a heavily fortified uranium enrichment facility located 300 feet beneath a mountain south of Tehran, making it one of Iran’s most secure nuclear sites. Six B-2 bombers dropped a dozen MOPs on Fordow, while US Navy submarines launched 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Natanz and Isfahan, according to US officials. Trump claimed the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities.

By Khagan Isayev