WASHINGTON — President Trump caught the world off-guard Saturday by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites — after his apparently strategic deception indicating that such strikes weren’t imminent and trickery with the deployment of US Air Force B-2 bombers.
Trump said Thursday he would make a decision in the “next two weeks” to allow more time for negotiations, giving the sense of reprieve to about a week of fevered speculation after Israel initiated its airstrikes.
“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Trump said in a statement just two days before the unprecedented US attack.
The timing was stunning in part because six B-2 stealth bombers capable of carrying 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs had been tracked leaving Missouri early Saturday — and were believed to be incapable of reaching Iran until late Sunday.
The B-2 is believed to be the main type of plane capable of delivering 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs capable of obliterating underground facilities.
Israel lacked the planes needed to drop the heavy bombs and since last Thursday had been dropping less-powerful 2,000-pound bombs.
Read the latest on the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities:
Trump announced the attack shortly after returning to the White House from his golf resort in Bedminster, NJ — a trip in which he suspiciously took no reporter questions.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space,” Trump wrote.
“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
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