“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon” has been Trump’s much-repeated message, and after last night’s bombing of the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, the president declared his mission accomplished. Declaring the operation a “spectacular military success,” he called for Iran’s leaders to return to negotiations. “Now is the time for peace,” he wrote on his Truth Social site. Americans must hold him to it.

Iran, of course, will have a say in what happens next. Tehran will inevitably retaliate. It has many options, including targeting U.S. military personnel in the region, disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, or executing cyber or terror attacks in the Middle East or outside it. So far, Iran’s response has been moderate. Tehran has indicated that damage caused by U.S. strikes is reparable and limited. There are also reports that Washington gave Iran advanced warning that this was intended to be a limited strike. It is possible that Iran might calibrate its response to avoid American casualties.

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