Washington: Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated sharply following a series of US airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear sites.

According to a Reuters report citing two anonymous US officials, Iran could launch retaliatory attacks targeting American forces in the Middle East within the next one or two days.

The airstrikes, ordered by US President Donald Trump over the weekend, targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear facilities using bunker-buster bombs. Trump described the operation as a “historic moment” for the US, Israel, and the world, declaring on his Truth Social platform that Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities were “completely and totally obliterated.”

“All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of bombs was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,” Trump wrote. He later added that he would address the nation, stating, “Iran must now agree to end this war.”

The strikes mark a significant development, effectively drawing the US directly into the ongoing Israeli campaign against Iran, which began with Israeli airstrikes on June 13. In his national address, Trump warned that future attacks on Iran would be “far greater and a lot easier” if Tehran refuses to seek peace.

Iran’s response to the airstrikes has been stern. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the campaign “a big mistake,” denouncing Israel and warning of ongoing punishment. Though Iran has not yet officially confirmed how it will respond, the country has repeatedly threatened to retaliate against both the US and Israel for military actions.

The suspected window for Iran’s counterattack, as per US officials, points to a potentially volatile next 48 hours in the region. Though diplomatic channels remain open, the Pentagon and US Central Command have reportedly heightened alert levels for American military installations across the Middle East.

This comes amid already heightened tensions following Israel’s Operation Lion’s Country targeting Iranian infrastructure, assassinations of key Iranian military figures, and rising fears of a regional war involving multiple state and non-state actors.

The coming days may prove critical in determining whether the confrontation spirals into a broader conflict or can still be contained through diplomatic intervention.