DENVER — After the U.S. military used B2 bombers and “bunker buster” bombs to strike a trio of Iranian nuclear sites early Sunday local time, the attention of many is likely to turn to the possibility of retaliatory attacks by Iran.
Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, had previously threatened retaliation if the U.S. attacked. In the wake of the strikes, Iran’s top diplomat warned the attacks would have “everlasting consequences,” according to the Associated Press.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said on X that Tehran “reserves all options” to retaliate. He's the first ranking official to comment on the strikes on Isfahan, Fordo and Natanz by the Americans.
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What could happen next, and what does it mean for Americans and Coloradans? Denver7’s Claire Lavezzorio sat down with Micheline Ishay, the director for the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver, on Denver7 News at 10 to dig into those answers.
Ishay told us “there will certainly be an expectation of some form of retaliation” by Iran. She pointed to American military bases in the region that were “vulnerable” to retaliation.
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She also discussed the possibility of a reawakening of sleeper cells, a potential Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz – an important maritime passage – that could drive oil prices up. Khamenei returning to the negotiating table is also a possibility, Ishay said.
- Watch Claire’s full interview with Ishay in the video player below or at the top of this story.