Anti-war protests erupt in New York after US strikes on Iran; major cities on high alert

New York [US], June 23 (ANI): Anti-war protests broke out in New York City on Sunday (local time) as demonstrators took to the streets to condemn the recent US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, amid heightened security measures across major cities in the United States.

Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of New York, waving Palestinian flags and holding placards that read "Hands Off Iran" and "Stop The War on Iran", in response to Operation Midnight Hammer -- the US-led military action targeting Iran's Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz nuclear sites.
Protesters were also calling out to Israel for initiating the conflict with Iran, as well as their military operation in Gaza.

Earlier in the day, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) stated that it is deploying more resources across key sites in the city to monitor any potential impact as developments unfold in Iran.
In a post on X, the NYPD stated that the additional resources would be deployed to religious, cultural and diplomatic sites throughout the city. The department emphasised that it is coordinating with federal partners as part of precautionary measures.
"We're tracking the situation unfolding in Iran. Out of an abundance of caution, we're deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We'll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC."
The developments follow after US President Donald Trump on Saturday (US local time) said that the United States has launched an attack on three Nuclear sites in Iran.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the success of the operation launched by the US in Iran on Sunday.
During a media briefing with Chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine, Hegseth said that the US had successfully conducted precision strikes in Iran's Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz.
"Last night, on President Trump's order, the US Central Command conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran - Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz - in order to destroy or severely degrade Iran's nuclear programme. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs will demonstrate, it was an incredible and overwhelming success," he said.
Hegseth said that the orders from the US President and Commander-in-Chief were clear. They 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"The order we received from our Commander-in-Chief was focused, it was powerful, and it was clear. We devastated the Iranian nuclear program," he said.
Hegseth also said that the US did not target Iranian troops or civilians.
"But it's worth noting that the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people," he added. (ANI)