US prepares for Iranian retaliation, Tehran threatens strikes: what is known so far

The first response to US strikes on Iran will be the destruction of Israel, said Mehdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Iran's parliament speaker.

He described the response to the US action as "inevitable." Mohammadi added that the extent of damage to Fordow and other nuclear facilities is a secondary issue.

To cut off America's hand, you have to cut Netanyahu's throat," he wrote on social media.

Commenting on the U.S. strikes on Iran, a senior Iranian source told Reuters that most of the enriched uranium at the Fordow nuclear facility had been moved to a classified location before the U.S. attack.

The host of PressTV (an English-language international news channel funded by the Iranian government, based in Tehran) called on Russia and China to come to Iran's defence.

This morning will go down in history as one of the days that began the disintegration of our familiar world order. If an ordinary person like me can understand this, it is hard to imagine that China and Russia do not realise the full implications of what is happening. Now is the moment to show full and unconditional support for Iran. Not only because Iran needs it, but also because these countries themselves need that support. Because this is no longer just about Iran. Everything has gone far beyond it," she said.

In turn, Netanyahu thanked Trump for the "courageous decision" to strike Iran. The Israeli prime minister said the decision was a turning point in history that could help the Middle East enter a new era of peace and prosperity.

"History will record that President Trump acted to deprive the most dangerous regime in the world of the most dangerous weapons in the world," Netanyahu said in his address, adding that the attacks demonstrated that "America is truly unrivalled.

He also addressed Israelis, saying his promise to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities had been "fulfilled."

In response, Trump congratulated Netanyahu in his address and said they had worked as a team "as perhaps no team has ever worked before."

For his part, Prince Reza Pahlavi - the son of the deposed Shah of Iran in 1979 - called the US attacks on three nuclear facilities in Iran "the result of this regime's disastrous pursuit of nuclear weapons at the expense of the Iranian people".

Ali Khamenei and his terrorist, collapsing regime have doomed our country and people to defeat. Now, as Khamenei ponders from his underground shelter how to respond, I say to him: your only response to save the Iranian people is your ouster. This is the only way the proud people of Iran will be able to pass through this destructive phase of the Islamic Republic and begin a new chapter of peace, prosperity and greatness. The only sure path to peace is the end of this regime. And it must happen right now," he wrote on the X network.

Dmitry Medvedev said the US is embroiled in a new conflict with the prospect of a ground operation, and Trump, "who came as a peacemaker president, has started a new war for the US".

With such successes, Trump should not be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, even despite the venality of this nomination," the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council said.

Iraq said US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities threaten stability in the Middle East.

This military escalation poses a serious threat to peace and security in the Middle East and poses serious risks to regional stability," Iraqi government spokesman Basim Alawadi said.

He stressed that continued attacks would lead to "a dangerous escalation with consequences that go beyond any single state, threatening the security of the entire region and the world," and called for immediate de-escalation because "wars leave behind only destruction."

Yemen says it will join the war in the Middle East.

Yemen will officially go to war, keep your ships out of our territorial waters," the statement said.

NYT points out: Prospects for resuming diplomatic talks that could end the war between Iran and Israel seemed elusive by Sunday morning, given the defiant response of Iranian officials and the ongoing exchange of missiles and drones between Israel and Iran.

Recall that on the night of 22 June, the United States attacked three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. US President Donald Trump noted that key uranium enrichment facilities were destroyed. US President Donald Trump said during a press conference at the White House that the US goal was to destroy Iran's uranium enrichment facilities and end the nuclear threat that "comes from the number one state sponsor of terrorism in the world." Donald Trump also warned that the US could launch new attacks on Iran.

The White House also released photos showing Donald Trump's team in the Situation Room likely watching an attack on Iran.

According to two defence officials and a senior White House official, the Trump administration is preparing for possible retaliation from Iran in the next 48 hours.

Two officials familiar with military planning said earlier this week that Iran already has plans in place to attack U.S. bases and facilities in the Middle East if the need arises. At the same time, they cautioned at the time that there was no indication of imminent deployment of those plans.