'Boots and Bombs:' Scholar reveals Israel’s ground role in strike that shattered Iran’s nuclear network
The Interview: Asaf Romirowsky talks with Hilary Golston about attacks in Iran
President Donald Trump on Saturday said the United States attacked Iran, hitting three nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan. On Sunday Fox 2's Hilary Golston sat down with Middle East expert Asaf Romirowsky to talk about what's next in the region.
In a stunning display of coordinated military force, the United States and Israel struck three of Iran’s most fortified nuclear sites overnight: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, crippling what Western analysts believe are key components of Tehran’s uranium enrichment program.
The operation, reportedly years in the making, follows a 60-day ultimatum issued by President Trump in March, demanding that Iran reduce its enrichment levels or face consequences. The strikes came on the heels of a formal finding from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran had enriched uranium beyond 60 percent, dangerously close to weapons-grade material. "This has been a long time coming," said Dr. Asaf Romirowsky, Executive Director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, in an interview with Hilary Golston. "The United States has been dealing with Iran, which has been the navel of many of the terrorism threats we’ve faced for the last 46 years. Israel has been dealing with it as well."
Romirowsky said the military success was not solely due to airpower. According to him, Israel played a critical role in gathering intelligence and preparing targets, including placing forces on the ground and deploying drones. He called the outcome a major blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. "Israel was able to create air superiority," he said. "About 75 percent has been degraded as it relates to nuclear capability—including leadership, scientists, as well as other potential military facilities." Romirowsky added that the intelligence shared between Israel and the United States spanned years, and that the operation had multiple layers of justification."
The fact that this entire operation was a shared intelligence operation militarily and intelligence-wise between the U.S. and Israel, it was not the only evidence the administration had to go off on to do this," he said.
Despite the scale of the strike, the Biden administration has been clear that the objective was limited. Romirowsky agreed that this wasn’t about installing a new government. "The administration has clearly stated they’re not looking for regime change," he said. "They’re not looking to get involved in nation-building per se here." However, Sunday afternoon President Donald Trump seemed to open the door to regime change, posting on his Truth Social "It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN."
Still, he described Iran’s leadership as a "brutal totalitarian regime" that has long oppressed its own citizens. He said he hopes the internal pressure will now build toward change. "It would be great to see what you saw during the Green Revolution, people marching down and calling for change," Romirowsky said. "If it happened organically, obviously that would be better for the region. It would be better for peace with Israel." He noted that while the known infrastructure had been degraded, the knowledge behind the program can’t simply be erased, and some nuclear materials may have been smuggled to other locations.
Markets responded quickly to the overnight airstrikes. Oil prices surged amid fears Iran could retaliate by targeting the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint responsible for moving nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply.
Diplomatic fallout continued to unfold Sunday as Russia and China condemned the strikes. Several European nations urged restraint while acknowledging the growing concern over Iran’s enrichment trajectory. Romirowsky called the strikes a pivotal moment in modern Middle East history. "This is a historic moment that will transform the Middle East at large," he said.