War in the Middle East: US and Israel strike Iran’s Natanz nuclear site

As the war in the Middle East enters its fourth week, the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Saturday March 21 against Iran’s Natanz nuclear complex, located in the center of the country, according to a statement from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran distributed by the Tasnim news agency.

“Following the criminal attacks perpetrated by the United States and the usurping Zionist regime against our country, the Natanz enrichment complex was targeted this morning,” the Iranian organization said. She added that “no leaks of radioactive materials have been reported” in the area.

By launching the offensive against Iran on February 28, Donald Trump had stated among the objectives the desire to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat, the West suspecting the Islamic Republic of wanting to acquire the atomic bomb, which it denies.

Soon the end of the conflict?

Other strikes targeted several neighborhoods in Tehran and its outskirts during the night from Friday to Saturday, as well as the large city of Isfahan (center), according to the Fars agency. The Israeli army confirmed carrying out attacks against “regime targets” in the capital.

These Israeli-American strikes come at a time when Iranians were numerous on Saturday in several cities across the country to participate in prayers for Eid-el-Fitr, which marks the end of the month of Ramadan. Local media also reported numerous traffic jams as Tehran residents left the capital on Saturday to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian new year.

Three weeks after the start of the war, the American president raised for the first time on Friday the prospect of an end to the conflict. “We are on the verge of achieving our objectives,” he said on his Truth Social network, adding that he was considering “gradually reducing” American military efforts against “the Iranian terrorist regime.”

A few hours earlier, however, he had ruled out any idea of ​​a ceasefire and White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt indicated on X that the president and the Pentagon estimated that it would take “between four and six weeks to complete the mission”. Several American media are also announcing an upcoming deployment of additional military forces in the region.