Bonus Episode: US Strikes Iran

Summary

Up First from NPR: Bonus Episode Summary - "US Strikes Iran"

Release Date: June 22, 2025
Hosts: Tamara Keith, Daniel Estrin, Greg Myre

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Overview

In this special bonus episode of NPR's Up First, the hosts delve into the significant escalation in the Middle East following the United States' recent military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. The episode provides a comprehensive analysis of the events leading up to the strike, the immediate aftermath, and the broader geopolitical implications. Featuring on-the-ground reporting from Tel Aviv and expert insights from NPR correspondents, the episode offers listeners a nuanced understanding of this complex situation.

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The U.S. Military Strike on Iran

At [01:29], NPR News Anchor announces the critical news: President Trump declared that the U.S. has bombed Iran's three most vital nuclear sites, marking a major escalation in the ongoing Middle East conflict.

President Trump's Statement:
At [01:48], President Trump declares, "Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace."

Details of the Attack:
Greg Myre provides an in-depth breakdown at [02:28]:

• Methodology: The U.S. utilized stealth bombers and potentially submarines to carry out the strikes.
• Targets: The facilities at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, located 100 to 300 miles south of Tehran.
• Logistics: The bombers undertook a 30+ hour round trip from Whiteman Air Force Base near Kansas City, deploying unprecedented 30,000-pound bombs.
• Assessment: While President Trump hailed the operation as a "complete success," Myre notes the need for further evaluation regarding the actual damage and the status of highly enriched uranium.

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Iran's Response and Regional Impact

Following the strikes, Iran has signaled its intent to retaliate. At [05:40], Greg Myre relays statements from Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi:

• Right to Respond: "Iran reserves all options to defend its security, interests, and people."
• Potential Retaliation: Possible missile or drone strikes targeting U.S. military personnel in the region, U.S. embassies, or American civilians.

Immediate Aftermath in Israel:
Daniel Estrin reports from Tel Aviv at [04:41], describing the impact of an Iranian missile strike:

• Casualties: Several dozen wounded, but no fatalities.
• Damage: An affluent neighborhood in North Tel Aviv saw significant destruction, including a gutted residential building.
• Public Sentiment: Mixed reactions among Israelis—some grateful for the U.S. support, while others fear further escalation and blame local leadership for drawing the U.S. into conflict.

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Political Reactions in the United States

Senate and Congressional Perspectives:
Tamara Keith discusses the polarized responses on Capitol Hill at [09:37]:

• Republican Support: Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma tweets, "This isn't a forever war. POTUS was clear Iran must never have a nuclear weapon."
• Democratic Opposition: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemns the strike as a "grave violation of the Constitution and congressional war powers," advocating for impeachment due to the potential for prolonged conflict.

Contradictions in President Trump's Stance:
Keith highlights the contradiction between Trump's campaign promises and his current military actions:

• Peace vs. Military Action: While Trump campaigned as a peacemaker intending to end "forever wars," his administration's strike against Iran signifies a shift towards military intervention.

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Historical and Geopolitical Context

Chain of Events Leading to the Strike:
Greg Myre outlines the sequence of conflicts escalating over the past 20 months:

• Hamas Attack: A surprise assault by Hamas triggered a retaliatory response from Israel.
• Hezbollah and Iran: Israel systematically targeted Iran’s proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon.
• Current Strike: The latest move involves direct strikes on Iran's nuclear and military infrastructures, indicating a broader strategy against Iranian influence in the region.

Potential Futures and Analyst Insights:
Elon Goldenberg from J Street comments at [10:53] on possible outcomes:

• Retaliation Risks: Iran may respond against U.S. military bases or American interests, potentially leading to prolonged low-grade conflicts.
• Diplomatic Opportunities: Alternatively, the strike could serve as a catalyst for Iran to engage in negotiations and impose restraints on its nuclear program.
• Uncertainty: The situation remains highly unpredictable, with significant risks of either continuous conflict or a strategic turning point towards diplomacy.

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Impact on Israeli Perspectives

Divergent Views within Israel:
Daniel Estrin explores the varied Israeli public opinions post-strike:

• Support for U.S. Action: Some Israelis appreciate U.S. military support in neutralizing Iran's nuclear threat.
• Fear of Escalation: Others, especially those affected by missile strikes, fear that the U.S. involvement may lead to ongoing conflict and complicate diplomatic efforts.

Official Stance:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describes the strike as "historic," emphasizing the longstanding Israeli concern over Iran's nuclear ambitions and underscoring the cooperative nature of the U.S.-Israel military operation.

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Conclusion and Ongoing Developments

The episode concludes with reiterations of the profound implications of the U.S. strike on Iran, highlighting the delicate balance between military action and the pursuit of diplomatic resolutions. The situation remains fluid, with potential for both further escalation and the possibility of peace negotiations hinging on the responses from Iran and the international community.

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Key Takeaways

• Military Action: The U.S. has conducted unprecedented strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites, utilizing advanced weaponry and strategic planning.
• Iran's Stance: Iran remains defiant, reserving the right to retaliate, which could significantly alter the regional security landscape.
• Domestic U.S. Politics: The strike has amplified partisan divisions, with Republicans supporting the action and Democrats criticizing the bypassing of congressional authority.
• Impact on Israel: While some Israelis welcome U.S. support, others fear the escalation could destabilize the region further.
• Future Prospects: The international community remains watchful, recognizing the strike as a potential turning point that could either lead to continuous conflict or open avenues for diplomatic engagement.

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For continuous updates on this developing story and other breaking news, stay tuned to NPR and follow their latest reporting on the Up First podcast.

Transcript

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[NPR News Anchor]

This is up first from NPR News. We have a special report for you today in addition to the Sunday story with a post online and then an address to the nation. President Trump announced the United States bombed Iran's three most important nuclear sites overnight, marking a major escalation in the Mideast war.

[President Trump]

Tonight, I can report to the world that that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle east, must now make peace.

[NPR News Anchor]

Iran is saying it will hit back at the US now that it has fully entered the war. For the latest, we're joined by three NPR reporters, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, international correspondent Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv, and national security correspondent Greg Myrey. Greg, let's begin with you. What do we know about the US Attack?

[Greg Myre]

So the US Used B tooth Stealth bombers and at least one submarine to carry out powerful attacks on these three Iranian sites, Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. They're all south of the capital, Tehran, about 100 to 300 miles south. This took place early Sunday, local time Saturday night in the U.S. these planes flew 30 hours or more round trip from Whiteman Air Force Base base east of Kansas City. The planes used massive 30,000 pound bombs. It's the first time these bombs have been used in combat. The sub, or possibly subs, fired Tomahawk missiles. Now, Trump calls it a complete success, but it will take time to get a full assessment on the extent of the damage. You know, were these facilities completely destroyed? What happened to the highly enriched uranium? Was it inside? Was it moved elsewhere before the strikes? And how long does this set back Iran's new nuclear program?

[NPR News Anchor]

Tam, what's President Trump saying about his decision to hit Iran?

[Tamara Keith]

He justified the move by saying that Iran has been a longtime bad actor in the region. And he said the objective of the targeted strikes was to destroy Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and stop the nuclear threat posed by, quote, the world's number one state sponsor of terror. Not long ago, he was seriously talking about the prospects of a nuclear deal with Iran, but he complained that they just couldn't or wouldn't get it done. And now he's insisting that Iran come to the table and make peace.

[President Trump]

This cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left.

[Tamara Keith]

And after his address to the nation, Trump added in an all caps social media post, quote, any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight. Thank you, exclamation point.

[NPR News Anchor]

Daniel, you're in Tel Aviv and you've been to the site of a new Iranian missile strike. Tell us about that.

[Daniel Estrin]

Well, Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel a few hours after the US Strike. Israeli paramedics are reporting at least several dozen people wounded, but no fatalities. I'm sitting now near the site of one of those missile impact sites. It's an affluent neighborhood of North Tel Aviv. I saw an entire residential apartment building gutted. Residents had gone down to the building's bomb shelter and that saved them. But there was a really large blast radius in the neighborhood. There was an elderly people's home, suffered some damage. They were being evacuated to a hotel. I met one Israeli woman whose apartment was damaged who says she wants to escape Tel Aviv for now because she thinks the US Strikes will lead to an increase of Iranian attacks on the city. And indeed, immediately after the US Strikes, Israel anticipated a big retaliation and it has ordered schools and businesses to close.

[NPR News Anchor]

And Greg, what are we hearing from Tehran?

[Greg Myre]

Yeah, we haven't heard from Iran's supreme leader who hasn't been in public in recent days or any other top leaders. But the Foreign minister, Abbas Iraqchi, is in Turkey and he gave a press conference saying Iran has the right to respond. He said Iran, quote, reserves all options to defend, defend its security and interests and people. He was asked if because of this attack now the prospect of holding peace negotiations is still possible. And he said no, this is not the case right now. He didn't list Iran's options, but they could include missile or drone strikes at some 40,000 U.S. military personnel in the region or an attempted attack on US Embassies or American civilians. Now, these could be the most immediate threats. In the near term, Iran may wait and try to hit back days, weeks, months from now. Remember, President Trump authorized a strike that killed Iran's most prominent military leader in 2020 during his first term. Trump said last year that Iran has plotted to kill him, though Iran denies this.

[NPR News Anchor]

Tam, didn't Trump run on ending forever wars?

[Tamara Keith]

Oh, he sure did. He called himself the candidate of peace in his inaugural address just five months ago. He said that his proudest legacy in office would be that a peacemaker and unifier. And he is constantly saying that the wars in Ukraine and Gaza wouldn't have happened if he were president. So leading up to this, Trump's political base was divided, with some prominent and loud voices in the MAGA movement quite critical of the idea of US Direct involvement. But even before Trump announced the strikes, you could see the wheels turning for his supporters to justify the apparent contradiction. And, and Trump himself, by emphasizing that he wants peace with Iran and referencing the Soleimani strike from earlier, from his first term that Greg just mentioned, he's treating this like a one off in line with his peace through strength messaging. And if somehow that's how this turns out and the US isn't drawn into a long term commitment and Americans aren't killed in retaliatory actions, maybe, just maybe, he can claim he's being consistent, but there are just a lot of variables he doesn't control at this point.

[NPR News Anchor]

Daniel, how does a direct attack by the US change the way Israelis look at the conflict with Iran?

[Daniel Estrin]

Many Israelis I've spoken to today are grateful to President Trump for carrying out the strike because the US is the only country with the military equipment that can do the kind of significant damage the US Says took place at the heavily fortified nuclear sites in Iran. But other Israelis I spoke to, some of them whose apartments were damaged in the recent missile attack, were not supportive of the US strikes and blamed Netanyahu for starting a war that would require the US to finish and that of fearing that it could only escalate and make diplomacy even harder. I spoke to a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue is sensitive, who is familiar with with discussions among Israeli officials who told me that officials here intend for these US Strikes to now try to help wrap up the Iran war. Listen to what Erez TZVI told me today. His apartment was nearly destroyed in today's strike.

[Tamara Keith]

I believe this was necessary to get.

[Daniel Estrin]

To the final stage.

[Tamara Keith]

The last stage is when Iran is.

[Daniel Estrin]

Coming to talk about with the US.

[President Trump]

And close the whole nuclear program.

[Daniel Estrin]

I should note that military analysts in Israel see that the US Action carrying out what they believe will be a one time operation, hopefully quickly moving to diplomacy. But that suggests that regime change in Iran is not a goal if Trump is offering to strike a deal with the current regime.

[NPR News Anchor]

Tam, what about Capitol Hill?

[Daniel Estrin]

Yeah.

[Tamara Keith]

I think Oklahoma Senator Markowayne Mullen best summed up the GOP machinations on this the effort to justify Trump's actions in light of his earlier rhetoric. Let me just read bit of his tweet. He says to those concerned about US Involvement, this isn't a forever war. In fact, it's ending 1. POTUS was clear Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. As for Democrats, their reactions range from outraged to very outraged. The President didn't seek authorization from Congress, which has allowed its constitutional role in authorizing military action to erode significantly in the 25 years since 9 11. And the administration hasn't yet briefed Congress on the intelligence underlying this move. Democrats say he doesn't have a real plan for what happens next and is putting Americans at risk. New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio Cortez said doing this without authorization was, quote, a grave violation of the Constitution and congressional war powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. And she concludes it is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.

[NPR News Anchor]

Daniel, what are you hearing about how significant this moment is?

[Daniel Estrin]

Well, in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it historic. He for decades has considered Iran and its nuclear ambitions to be his number one concern. The Israeli and US Militaries say that they cooperated together on this operation. This US Strike, the big inflection point now is a big gamble. I spoke to Elon Goldenberg. He's from the advocacy group J Street. And during the Obama administration he was the man at the Pentagon in charge of following Israel, Iran tensions. And he believes the most likely scenario now is Iranian retaliation against US Military bases and aggrieved Iran regime that could take greater risks in its strikes, which could lead to a perpetual kind of low grade air war between Iran and Israel for months or on the other hand, could be a turning point if Iran does agree to restraints on its nuclear program. But it really is a roll of the dice.

[NPR News Anchor]

Greg, the region has been mired in fighting since Hamas attacked Israel. Can you talk about how we got from that moment to today?

[Greg Myre]

Yeah. That surprise Hamas attack 20 months ago set off a chain of events that leads directly to where we are today. You know, Israel is completely shocked by that attack, but they've responded by systematically taking down Iran's proxies. First, Hamas in Gaza, though that war is still grinding on with a terrible humanitarian crisis. Then the Israelis delivered this powerful blow to Hezbollah in Leb. And now Israel, along with the US has been striking Iran's nuclear and military facilities. Aisha we're witnessing a dramatic remaking of the Middle east, though we still don't know how it will play out ultimately.

[NPR News Anchor]

That's NPR's Greg Myre along with Daniel Estrin and Tamara Keith. Thank you all.

[Daniel Estrin]

You're welcome.

[Greg Myre]

Thank you.

[NPR News Anchor]

And that's it for this special addition to your upcoming up first feed. Stay tuned to NPR on the air and at npr.org for all the latest developments on the conflict in the Middle East. And there's more up first tomorrow with all the news you need to start your week. Thank you for listening. I'm Aisha Roscoe.

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