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US President Donald Trump said yesterday the US military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel’s effort to decapitate the country’s nuclear programme in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran’s threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict.

There was no immediate acknowledgment from the Iranian government of any strikes being carried out. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported late last night that attacks targeted the country’s Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites. The agency did not elaborate.

“We have comple­ted our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump said in a post on social media. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.”