U.S. President Donald Trump has fueled speculation about potential regime change in Iran, following a controversial statement claiming that recent U.S. airstrikes "totally obliterated" Iranian nuclear enrichment sites.

In a late-night social media post on Sunday, June 22, Trump said the targeted sites reportedly hit with GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles sustained “monumental damage.” He added, “The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!”

Trump went on to declare that if Iranian leaders failed to “make Iran great again,” regime change could be considered a stance that diverges from the more restrained messaging of current U.S. officials.

White House Downplays Regime Change Narrative

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that the operation, dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” was “not and has not been about regime change,” describing it as a precision strike focused solely on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Vice President JD Vance echoed this, stating, “We’re not at war with Iran — we’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio also downplayed the escalation, saying, “We’re not looking for war in Iran.”

Iran Vows Retaliation as Global Tensions Rise

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the strikes and accused the U.S. of directly supporting Israeli military operations. He vowed that Tehran would retaliate.

The full extent of the damage remains unclear. U.S. military leaders, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine, acknowledged uncertainty regarding Iran’s remaining nuclear capabilities. Meanwhile, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director Rafael Grossi stated, “At this time, no one, including the IAEA, is in a position to assess the underground damage at Fordow.”

Strait of Hormuz Threat, Oil Prices Spike

Fears of a wider conflict sent oil prices surging briefly on Monday, amid reports that Iran’s parliament had approved a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz a key global oil route. The final decision rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Secretary Rubio called on global powers to apply pressure: “I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them [Iran] about that because they heavily depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil.”

Evacuations and Travel Disruptions Worsen

As tensions escalate, multiple countries have begun repatriation efforts:

  • France announced it will deploy military aircraft to evacuate citizens from Israel to Cyprus, responding to over 4,500 emergency inquiries.

  • The Philippines began repatriating citizens on Monday, primarily from Israel, where over 30,000 Filipinos live.

  • Australia reported 3,800 citizens requesting evacuation 2,600 from Iran and 1,200 from Israel. Two defense aircraft have been deployed to assist.

Airlines have also responded. Air France-KLM canceled all flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh, while British Airways canceled flights to Dubai and Doha and is reviewing future schedules.

Iran Turns to Russia

Amid the unfolding crisis, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin. Araqchi said diplomacy would not resume until Tehran had “responded appropriately to the strikes.”

“The U.S. has shown it has no respect for international law. They only understand the language of threat and force,” he said.

With diplomatic efforts frozen, regional tensions surging, and fears of broader conflict growing, the coming days are likely to be critical in shaping the geopolitical aftermath of the strikes.