Trump launches precision strikes against Iran. Triumph or trap?

Until Saturday night, the satellite waited to spot whether President Donald Trump would articulation Israel’s run against Iran’s atomic infrastructure. Now we person the answer.

In a televised code from the White House, President Trump called the strikes a "spectacular subject success" and a "historic infinitesimal for the United States, Israel, and the world." He confirmed that Fordow—Iran’s profoundly buried atomic enrichment tract adjacent Qom—was among the targets, and warned, "There are galore targets left." His connection was clear: Iran indispensable "make bid oregon look calamity acold greater than we person witnessed implicit the past 8 days."

The U.S. has struck decisively. Whether the onslaught succeeds successful halting Iran’s atomic program—as the president boldly claims—remains to beryllium seen. What is wide is that the geopolitical fuse is lit, and the consequences are conscionable beginning.

Was There Clear Justification?

So far, the medication has not provided nationalist grounds that Iran was specified "weeks away" from gathering a atomic bomb, arsenic the White House property caput alleged. That assertion whitethorn person helped warrant the strike, but it rests much connected presumption than connected steadfast intelligence.

President Donald J. Trump successful The Situation Room, June 21, 2025 (The White House via X)

TRUMP ADDRESSES NATION ON 'SPECTACULAR MILITARY SUCCESS' OF US STRIKES ON IRANIAN NUCLEAR FACILITIES

Yes, Iran has enriched uranium to adjacent weapons-grade levels—but that unsocial does not marque a bomb. Tehran inactive needs to maestro warhead design, detonator synchronization, reentry shielding, and transportation systems. There is nary verified impervious it has done so.

As I wrote for Fox News last week, bombs tin destruct facilities—but they cannot erase knowledge. Many of Iran’s scientists are inactive alive, and their information whitethorn present beryllium stronger than ever.

Iran Will Choose to Fight

Tehran present faces a choice: capitulate oregon retaliate. Based connected history, ideology, and culture, the likelihood overwhelmingly favour retaliation.

Surrender is antithetical to Iran’s revolutionary mindset. The Islamic Republic has endured war, sanctions, and sabotage. Its enactment interprets absorption arsenic divine duty. This onslaught whitethorn person weakened Iran’s enrichment infrastructure, but it volition apt fortify the regime’s resolve.

MISDIRECTION AND 'DECEPTION' LIKELY KEY IN TRUMP ADMIN’S SURPRISE IRAN STRIKE

Iran retains extended capabilities: ballistic missiles, planetary proxy networks, cyber weapons, and elite paramilitary forces. This is not the end—it is the opening of a caller phase.

Four Likely Iranian Responses

1. Regional attacks connected U.S. assets: Iran volition apt people American subject bases and diplomatic posts successful Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf states done proxy militias similar Kataib Hezbollah oregon the Houthis. Any U.S. casualties could unit a wider war.
2. Disruption of lipid routes: Iran could effort to artifact oregon endanger the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for astir 20% of the world’s oil. Even a abbreviated disruption could nonstop planetary vigor prices soaring.
3. Strikes connected U.S. allies: Expect rocket attacks oregon proxy assaults connected Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and particularly Israel. Iran’s allies successful Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza are apt already preparing.
4. Asymmetric attacks abroad: Iran’s planetary web of operatives includes sleeper cells successful Latin America, Europe, and perchance the U.S. If Tehran believes it has small to lose, civilian targets and cyber infrastructure whitethorn beryllium successful its crosshairs.

Was This a Strategic Miscalculation?

If President Trump acted without coagulated intelligence, the hazard is real: that we person provoked a agelong warfare connected shaky grounds. Unlike the Iraq penetration successful 2003, Iran’s enrichment programme is genuine—but neutralizing it with airstrikes unsocial volition not work. This war, if it escalates, volition not beryllium fought connected our terms.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

What is more, the onslaught could backfire politically wrong Iran. Rather than destabilizing the regime, it whitethorn unify it. Public humiliation of cardinal sites similar Fordow plays straight into the regime’s "Great Satan" narrative, fueling nationalism and quelling dissent.

Prepare for a Shadow War

The U.S. and its allies indispensable present pivot rapidly to containment, deterrence, and resilience. Air defenses indispensable beryllium reinforced. Cyber infrastructure indispensable beryllium secured. Intelligence agencies indispensable way Iranian networks abroad. And astir importantly, diplomatic channels indispensable stay open—to allies and, erstwhile possible, to adversaries.

This is not the clip for complacency. It is simply a clip for wide strategy, disciplined leadership, and vigilance.

After the Applause, the Reckoning

The deed is done. Iran’s atomic sites prevarication successful ruins—but its volition to retaliate is not. President Trump’s triumphant tone— "Fordow is gone," helium declared—may play good politically, but it besides risks underestimating a hardened adversary.

Iran has absorbed assassinations, sanctions, and cyberattacks. It has endured warfare and isolation. What it has not done—what it is improbable to bash now—is springiness up.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The American radical indispensable beryllium prepared—not conscionable for triumph narratives, but for volatility. The battlefield up is asymmetric, unpredictable, and global. It volition trial not lone our military but our wisdom.

The question present is nary longer whether we acted. The question is: Was it worthy the cost?

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM ROBERT MAGINNIS