Some experts said they believe the U.S. strikes have the potential to lead to a "fork-in-the-road" moment that could result in Tehran taking an even more dangerous path.

Israel is attacking Iran’s nuclear sites, but Tehran’s secret path was blazed by the Israelis. “Remember, Iran cannot have any nuclear weapons. Very simple. Don’t have to go too deep into it. They just can’t have nuclear weapons.”

US airstrikes on Iran set back the country’s nuclear program by one to two years, a Pentagon spokesman said, adding to uncertainty around the status of the country’s facilities after President Donald Trump said they’d been obliterated.