Aleppo, Syria
CNN
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At least 20 people were killed and another 52 were injured after a “terrorist attack” at a Greek Orthodox church in Syria’s capital on Sunday, according to the country’s health ministry.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Syrian Home Ministry told CNN it was carried out by a “suspicion bombing affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS.”

He fired fire at the congregation of Maríaías Church in Damascus, then “using an explosive vest to explode myself,” the ministry said in a statement.

According to Sana, a Syrian state news agency, Mass was being held at the church during the attack.

Videos circulating through Syrian social media from inside the church show corpses, significant destruction, crushed glass and broken chairs holding chunks, allowing blood to be visible throughout the scene.

Syrian civil defense, commonly known as white helmets, said emergency teams are working to transport the bodies to hospitals and secure the area.

On Sunday, “A dangerous hand of evil has been struck,” the Greek Orthodox Patriarch said in a statement, “an explosion occurred at the entrance to the church, causing deaths of many martyrs and injuries to many others within the church.”

“We pray for the peace of the souls of martyrs, the healing of the wounded, and the comfort of the sad believers. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to faith, and our reaffirm our unwavering fear and rejection of threat,” the Church said.

Syrian UN envoy Geir O. Pedersen expressed his “anger” over “heinous crime,” his office said in a statement.

“Pedersen is urging everyone to unite by rejecting terrorism, extremism, incitement and targets in all Syrian communities. He expresses his deepest sadness to his hopes for the recovery of the families of the victims and the injured,” the statement said.

Thomas Barrack, the US Syrian envoy, calls the attack an act of “co-disease,” and says it “is not in the new tapestry of integrated tolerance and inclusion that Syrians are weaving in.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is abolishing the containment of attacks in Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestinian authorities, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Ukraine, Austria, Belgium, Czech Lepolik, and Western countries.

CNN
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US President Donald Trump’s decision to launch a direct strike against Iran’s nuclear site sparked a wave of national rage.

“The people of Iran are people of honor and we definitely give a strong response,” one man told CNN. “We’ve been standing strong for the past 40 years,” he added.

On Sunday evening, a large crowd gathered at Enkelab Square in central Tehran to protest the strike. The footage, published by the state’s Fars News Agency, showed people waving Iranian flags and punching the air with signs that read, “Down with Israel, with America.”

Politician Hamid Rasaye said even those critical of the administration are protesting.

“Many of the people standing here may have been critics of the Islamic Republic’s policy, many of whom have their slogans against the US. But today we are all standing in one line behind the Supreme Leader,” he told CNN.

Trump ordered an attack on three of Iran’s most important nuclear facilities early on Sunday morning. This is a move that places the United States at the heart of the Israeli-Iran conflict.

Iranians have been facing the possibility of US intervention since Israel launched a strike on nuclear and military targets last week, but they believed many actions were days apart.

That’s because Trump decided on Thursday whether to attack Iran within two weeks and said it appears to have opened a window for negotiations. Everything changed early on Sunday when American bombers dropped more than dozens of “bunkerbuster” bombs at Iran’s Fordow and Natantz nuclear facilities, and Tomahawk missiles fired from the sea hit Isfahan.

One Tehran man told CNN he believes Trump is acting solely in his own interests.

“No one is dirtyer than Trump. First, he gives us two weeks of time, but two days later he will hit us,” the man told CNN. Like other Iranians CNN spoke to, he preferred not to give his name for safety reasons.

“We don’t have nuclear weapons, so why is he attacking us?” he hinted at the Iranian regime’s claims, adding that the country’s nuclear program is peace. Trump has dismissed his own intelligence news community claiming Iran is weeks away from his acquisition of nuclear weapons and that Iran is still years away from his weapons.

Trump claims that three sites attacked by the US have been “completely wiped out,” but his defense secretary said the full impact is still being evaluated. And unlike the recent Israeli strike, some of them targeted densely populated areas, but US attacks were concentrated in places that were off limits for most civilians.

Residents of QOM, a city about 30km (18 miles) from the Fordow nuclear site, were awakened to the sound of emergency vehicles sirens and news that the secret complex had been bombed several hours ago.

Five people living in QOM said they were surprised to learn what happened when they hadn’t heard anything overnight.

QOM does not have an air attack warning system, so residents would not have issued warnings before the strike.

QOM is considered the sacred city, home to Iran’s largest and most famous Siah Seminary. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, studied at QOM Seminary, as well as some of the former Iranian presidents.

Similarly, people living in the village about 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the Natantz facility said they had not heard anything overnight.

In Tehran, far from targeted nuclear sites, many people were asking Iran to respond with strength. Fars has released a compilation of a short interview with people on street Sundays in the capital.

Each of the eight urged retaliation. Most people say Iran should attack our bases in the region and close the Strait of Hormuz on Iran’s south coast.

In Iran, signs of objection tend to be quickly counteracted, putting people at risk expressing their disagreement with the regime.

But Mohsen Milani, an Iranian scholar who has lived in the United States for decades, said that US attacks on the United States could spark more authentic support for the regime.

“It ignites a new wave of nationalism and could undermine the future of US-Iran relations than the 1953 coup, accelerating Tehran’s pivot towards Russia and China, and fundamentally reconstructing Iran’s defense, deterrence and nuclear stance,” he said in a post in X.

Some of this sentiment was already on display in Tehran on Sunday.

One demonstrator at the evening protest at Enqelab Square told CNN that he would stay there “even if the missile had descended on my head.”

“I will stay here and sacrifice my life and my blood for my country,” she said.

Everywhere around her, people were protesting against America. Some of the posters ended up on the ground where people were engraved on them.

One resident said CNN previously supported Khamenei in his life. “He’s moving forward for our land,” he said.

Speaking to CNN at a local market, the woman told CNN she believes Iran is just defending herself.

“We were living our normal lives and they attacked us. If someone hits the US, wouldn’t they answer? Of course they would,” she said.

Another person living in Tehran said he believes the administration has been greatly weakened by the US strike.

“The claim that the Iranian regime is always being made – it attacks all American bases and closes the Strait of Hormuz – they closed all these claims and saw the whole world (US) came and easily attacked the Fordow and Natantz sites… But Iran was completely quiet and if Iran was not protected, it was without defence or defence.

“Sane people, even their supporters, do not stand by vulnerable people,” they said.

CNN
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The smile on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s face was impossible to hide.

Minutes after President Donald Trump announced that the US had bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran, Netanyahu praised the American leader as someone who could guide the region into a “future of prosperity and peace.”

Ever since Israel launched attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and other targets, Netanyahu and other countries’ politicians from other countries have been careful not to be perceived as dragging Trump into another war in the Middle East. Ultimately, the US, who has joined the campaign and trusted the results, is perhaps even greater success for Netanyahu, who has brought the world’s superpower to Israel’s mission.

Netanyahu spoke about the Iranian threats for most of his political career, and sometimes helped viewers with visual aids like a bomb cartoon at the 2012 UN General Assembly. But the long-standing criticism was that all Netanyahu rhetoric was bark and not biting.

Due to all the stories of the threat Iran poses to Israel and the wider region, Netanyahu never pulled the trigger in major military operations. Instead, he allowed sporadic, high-risk reward operations from Israeli Mossad spy agencies, including assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists and theft of the country’s nuclear archives.

However, Iran’s nuclear program survived almost unharmed, with Netanyahu leaving for many years, with no measurable results on issues seen as existential threats to Israel.

I’ve rewritten the script for the past 10 days.

Aviv Businsky, who worked with Netanyahu during his first term in the late ’90s, called the attack on Iran’s nuclear facility “undoubtedly his greatest achievement.”

The wave of Israel’s first attack and the establishment of air superiority over Iran began a series of military successes that the Trump administration ultimately took part in.

“Netanyahu is seen as someone who was able to coordinate this operation from start to finish,” Businsky told CNN.

The magnitude of success was so great that Businsky claimed that Netanyahu had become one of the country’s top two or three leaders since its establishment in 1948. The “dirt” that does not stop the Hamas-led attack on October 7 remains in Netanyahu, but the attack on Iran quickly became part of his legacy.

“Netanyahu has a signature to remove the nuclear capabilities of the Iranians,” he said.

Now, Netanyahu is facing another challenge soon. Decide what to do next. At least publicly, the United States has made it clear that it considers Iran’s strike to be over unless Iranian forces attack US troops in the region.

But after launching the campaign on its own, Israel is still pushing its advantages. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Brigg. General Effy Deflin said on Sunday that Israel is preparing for a “extending campaign.” Before the weekend, Israel had in itself carried out a military campaign against Iran, which carried out more strikes after the bombing of US nuclear facilities.

“If the war is designed to eliminate Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and the US president says it has destroyed three facilities, why doesn’t Israel announce its mission?” asked rhetorically. “This military solution for everything is fine as long as I understand it is in line with the political goals. And I won’t see them.”

Since the start of the Trump administration, friction between Trump and Netanyahu has been fully on display as the White House pursued a series of steps in the region where it left Israel. Trump’s first trip to the Middle East was blown away by Israel without halting, and the US president surprised Netanyahu in April by signing a ceasefire agreement with Yemen’s Houthis and announcing nuclear negotiations with Israel.

The US decision raised questions about whether Netanyahu could handle the second Trump administration, especially the second Trump administration, which has far more vocal isolationist wings.

All of these questions disappeared in a smoke puff of bunkerbusters in the aftermath of the US as the two leaders thriving praise for each other

This satellite image, provided by Maxar Technologies, shows Iran’s Fordow Richment facility before and after the US attack. Editor’s note: The satellite photo above is rotated by Maxar Technologies, the source of the image, and shows the original orientation at the moment the image was taken.
Maxar Technologies

The Iranian issue has had widespread consensus among most Israeli society, with the majority of countries viewing nuclear Iran as an existential threat.

A survey by the Israeli Institute of Democracy conducted before the US attacks showed that around 70% of Israelis supported the campaign against Iran, but most believe it is right to launch a strike without guaranteeing US involvement.

That level of support was praised for Netanyahu, even by his detractors.

Ben-Dror Yemini, political analyst for Israel’s renowned Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, said:

But the present moment — the moment when Israel and the US punished strikes at Iran’s nuclear facilities — requires delicate diplomacy and willingness to retreat military success, which appears to have come very easily, Yemini said.

“We have to be smart,” Yemini told CNN. “I hope Netanyahu will be smarter to understand where we are now.”

According to former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro, the decision to act and the decision to wait for each had its own risk element.

“There is risk in the use of any force, and certainly there is risk in such a big decision from the US,” Shapiro said. “However, there was a risk in leaving Iran without acting within weeks of the nuclear bomb when they chose them.”

But Shapiro, who made the key choice to chase Iran’s nuclear facility, said it was a serious mistake to assume the conflict was over.

“I don’t think we should think of this as the end of the story. It depends heavily on how we manage the aftermath of this so that the outcome is positive,” Shapiro told CNN.

Shapiro was asked if the Middle East is now safer than before we were involved in the strike against Iran, depending on whether the bombing campaign destroys or significantly damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities. It also depends on how Iran responds. He said the international community is demanding Iran be absent from escalation.

“It’s too early to celebrate your achievements.”

CNN
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Fighter plane. submarine. Cruise missile. A 30,000 pound bomb.

After initially supporting diplomacy, US President Donald Trump relied on an extraordinary use of force against Iran on Saturday night, striking the administration’s three major nuclear sites.

Trump claimed that Iran’s nuclear facility had been “eliminated,” but some Iranian officials downplayed the impact of the strike, just as they did when Israel first attacked Iran’s facility on June 13.

As satellite images of overnight strikes begin to emerge, here is what we know about the damage the US has done to Iran’s nuclear program.

Fordow is Iran’s most important nuclear enrichment facility, buried deep in the mountains to protect it from attack.

The main hall is thought to be approximately 80-90 meters (262-295 feet) from the ground. Analysts have long been the only military in the world, with the bomb needed to dig deep holes: the giant 30,000 pound GBU-57.

The US will use six B-2 bombers to drop 12 of those “bunker-destroying” bombs on the site, US officials told CNN.

CNN analysis of satellite images showed that the US strike left at least six large craters on the Fordow site, referring to the use of bombs that destroy the bunker.

Images taken by Maxar showed six separate impact craters at two nearby locations in Fordow. The crater is visible along the ridge that runs through the underground complex.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog, told CNN that although there was “direct dynamics impact” on Fordow, it was too early to determine whether it caused internal damage to the subway.

“Of course we can’t rule out (possibility) that there is a huge loss there,” he said.

This satellite image, provided by Maxar Technologies, shows Iran’s Fordow Richment facility before and after the US attack. Editor’s note: The satellite photo above is rotated by Maxar Technologies, the source of the image, and shows the original orientation at the moment the image was taken.
Maxar Technologies

David Albright, chairman of the Institute for International Security of Science (ISIS), told CNN that the satellite imagery “may have caused considerable damage to the enrichment halls and adjacent halls supporting enrichment.”

“Complete destruction of underground halls is very possible,” Albright said, but emphasized that a full assessment of the damage takes time.

Nr Jenzen-Jones, ammunition expert and director of research firm Armament Research Services (ARES), agreed that Fordow has at least six entry points following the US strike.

“The larger central entry halls of the two groups had irregular shapes, suggesting that multiple ammunition had hit the same exact location,” Jenzen-Jones told CNN.

“This is consistent with the theory of attacks on deeply buried targets like the Fordow site.

Satellite images also show a major change in the colour of the mountainside where the facility is housed, showing that the vast area was covered with a layer of gray ash in the aftermath of the strike.

CNN analysis of images collected prior to the US strike suggests that Iran has taken steps to strengthen the entrance to the tunnels believed to lead to underground facilities. The image showed dirt piled up in front of at least two of the six entrances.

The Iranian foreign minister said the US had crossed the “very big red line,” but other Iranian leaders downplayed the impact of the strike. Manan Reisi, a council member representing QOM city near Fordau, said the damage caused by the attack was “very superficial.”

However, ISIS’s Albright told CNN that it “should” reject the initial report from Iran. He said during previous attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Tehran soft-pedaled its impact, but only to tell the story of the satellite imagery very differently.

Natanz is the site of Iran’s largest nuclear enrichment centre and targeted Israel’s first attack on Iran on June 13th. The site has six above-ground buildings and three underground structures, and three underground structures, an important technology for nuclear enrichment, which converts uranium into nuclear fuel.

The ground facilities were damaged in Israel’s first attack. The IAEA said Strike has issued damaged electrical infrastructure at the plant.

It is not clear whether the Israeli strike directly damaged the underground facilities, but the IAEA said the loss of power to the underground cascade hall “may have damaged the centrifuge there.”

These satellite images show the Natantz enrichment facility before and after our attack.
Maxar Technologies

The US also targeted Natantz in its operations on Saturday night. US officials said the B-2 bomber dropped a bomb on the site destroying two bunkers. The US Navy submarine fired 30 Tura Cruise missiles at Natanz and Isfahan, the third Iranian site targeted by the US.

CNN analysis of the satellite image showed that two new craters appeared at the site. Crater – One is about 5.5 meters in diameter and the other is about 3.2 meters, and according to Maxar images it is located directly above the underground complex.

At this time, the extent of underground damage on the site is unknown.

Isfahan, located in central Iran, is home to the largest nuclear research facility in the country.

According to the non-profit Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), the facility was built with support from China and opened in 1984. According to the NTI, around 3,000 scientists are employed in Isfahan, and the site is “suspected to be the heart of Iran’s nuclear program.”

Following the US strike, CNN analysis found that at least 18 destroyed or partially destroyed structures were found on satellite images. The site has been visible black due to the extent of the tile bleach thrown out by the strike.

These satellite images show the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center before and after our attack.
Maxar Technologies

Albright said the first report suggested that the US had attacked the tunnel complex near Isfahansite.

If confirmed, Albright said this indicates that the US is trying to remove Iranian stocks of uranium enriched at 20% and 60%. Weapon grade uranium is concentrated to 90%.

CNN could not independently confirm that tunnel complexes near Isfahansite were targeted.

At a Pentagon press conference on Sunday, General Dan Kane, U.S. Chairman of the Co-State, said the US submarine “has launched more than a dozen Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles against major surface infrastructure targets at the Isfahansite.”

Reported by CNN’s Isaac Ye, Avery Schmitz, Haley Britzky and Kristen Holmes.