Hands off Iran: Anti-war protests flood US cities after strikes on nuclear sites

Several US cities witnessed massive anti-war protests on Sunday, with demonstrators carrying banners with slogans "Hands off Iran" and "No US-Israel war on Iran", after the US bombed three Iranian nuclear strikes, causing a major escalation in the Middle East crisis.

Visuals flooding the X showed demonstrators holding up banners and chanting anti-war slogans as they called on the President Donald Trump-led administration to stop supporting Israel and have no further involvement in the Jewish nation's conflict with Iran.

As part of Operation Midnight Hammer, the US military hit Iran's Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites.

The demonstrations took place in Boston, Chicago, outside the White House in Washington DC, and at the iconic Times Square in New York City. Besides asking the US to step back, the protesters called out Israel for initiating the conflict with Iran as well as their Gaza military operation.

The anti-war protests erupted as major US cities, including New York and Washington, were placed on high alert after the airstrikes on Iran. Law enforcement agencies said though there were no specific or credible threats so far, additional patrols and precautions have been taken around cultural, diplomatic and religious sites.

Earlier, the New York Police Department (NYPD) tweeted that they are "tracking the situation unfolding in Iran" and has deployed additional resources across the city "out of an abundance of caution". In a similar advisory, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington DC, noted increased coordination with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to share intelligence and ensure the safety of residents, visitors, and businesses.

Meanwhile, Trump reiterated on Monday US forces' "bullseye strike" on Iranian nuclear sites, which he said caused "monumental damage" and obliterated Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Soon after the US dropped bombs on the sites, Trump in a post on Truth Social, praised the "great American warriors" and warned Iran to come to the table for peace talks.

Commercial satellite imagery indicated severe damage to the Iranian sites, but there was no confirmation, news agency Reuters reported. On Sunday, Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said there were no signs of radioactive contamination following the US air attack.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fiercely condemned the US strikes and warned of Tehran's harsh and decisive response. Calling out the "Zionist enemy", he said it made a "big mistake, committed a big crime" and must be punished.