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In a significant escalation of tensions, the United States and Israel initiated military strikes on Iran this past Saturday. This move came after a series of escalating threats from President Trump, who has been vocal about his desire for a regime change in Tehran. Shortly after the attacks commenced, Trump addressed the nation in a video posted online, cautioning about potential American casualties and justifying the military action.
“Earlier today, the United States military launched major combat operations in Iran,” Trump announced in a video shared on Truth Social at the early hour of 2:30 a.m. He emphasized the intent behind these actions, stating, “Our mission is to protect the American people by neutralizing immediate threats posed by the Iranian regime, which is comprised of extremely dangerous individuals.”
In his address, the president directly appealed to Iran’s military forces, urging them to surrender and encouraging the Iranian populace to overthrow the authoritarian regime that has held power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
“The bombardment will be extensive,” Trump warned, urging, “Once we’ve completed our mission, the opportunity will arise for you to reclaim your government. This might be your only chance for generations to come. America stands ready to support you with tremendous power and formidable force. Now is the moment to take charge of your future.”
In light of these developments, U.S. embassies in Israel and Qatar have issued urgent shelter-in-place advisories for American citizens residing in those nations, highlighting the heightened risk and unpredictability of the situation.
Israel launched “preemptive” attacks against Iran and declared a state of emergency throughout the country, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday.
The Israeli Air Force just after 3 a.m. EST said it had identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israel.
The targets of the U.S. and Israeli strikes were not immediately clear, however, Tehran residents reportedly witnessed smoke rising from the area where major government buildings, including the presidential palace and National Security Council, are located.
The U.S. Central Command declined to comment. The Hill has reached out to the Pentagon.
Multiple outlets reported that the U.S. operations, being called Operation Epic Fury, are expected to be far wider in scope and duration than the bombing carried out over the summer on Iran’s key nuclear facilities.
The attacks come just over a day after talks in Geneva wrapped up between U.S. and Iranian negotiators, mediated by Oman.
Trump said on Friday that he was not happy about how the negotiations went, though he told reporters he remained undecided on strikes.
Oman’s foreign minister told CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Friday that Iran has agreed to “zero stockpiling” of nuclear material in the talks, which he described as a breakthrough.
For weeks, Trump has been publicly weighing military action. Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine has reportedly warned of the risks of strikes, while hawks including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have pushed for military action with the goal of regime change.
Reports emerged earlier this week that Trump was leaning toward limited strikes, at least at first, in the hope of extracting concessions from Iran.
The U.S. military has built up an enormous presence near Iran in recent weeks, dispatching F-35s, F-22s, refueling aircraft, positioning air defense systems and positioning two aircraft strikes groups in the region.
Trump in the video posted Saturday morning reiterated his claims that Iran was seeking to rebuild its nuclear program and develop missiles that could reach America.
“This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States armed forces,” he said.
“My administration has taken every possible step to minimize the risk to US personnel in the region,” he added. “Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties, that often happens in war, but we’re doing this, not for now, we’re doing this for the future and it is a noble mission.”
Updated: 2:56 a.m. EST