President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States had launched “major combat operations in Iran” after Israel launched strikes.
In a video posted on Truth Social, Trump said the goal was to defend the U.S. by “removing the immediate threats from the Iranian regime.”
Trump announced US attack on Iran
“The United States military is conducting a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very evil, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our fundamental national security interests,” Trump said.
. “We will destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.”
Iran resumed nuclear program: Trump
According to the US president, Iran was working to restore its nuclear program damaged in the US bombing in June 2025.
“After that attack, we warned them never to continue their evil pursuit of nuclear weapons and we tried repeatedly to make a deal. We tried. They wanted to do it, they didn’t want to do it, they wanted to do it again. They didn’t want to do it. They didn’t know what was going on. They just wanted to practice evil,” he said.
“They have rejected every opportunity to achieve their nuclear ambitions and we can no longer take advantage of that,” he said.
“It has always been the policy of the United States, particularly of my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I will say it again, they can never have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Surrender or be killed, Trump told IRGC
In a strongly worded message to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Trump called on them to lay down their arms or face “certain death.”
“Tonight I say you must lay down your arms and have total immunity or alternatively face certain death,” he said. “Fold your hands. You will be treated fairly with total immunity or face certain death.”
‘Take Your Rule’
He also called on the Iranian people to “take over your government”.
“When we’re done, take over your government. You will take over. This will probably be your only chance for generations,” Trump said. “You’ve begged for America’s help for many years, but you never got it. No president has been willing to do what I’m willing to do tonight.”
It could result in the loss of American lives
He also admitted that the operation could result in the loss of American lives.
“My administration is taking every possible step to minimize the risk to American personnel in the region,” Trump said.
“Even so, and I don’t make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime is out to kill,” he said.
“The lives of brave American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties,” he said.
“That often happens in war,” he added.
Israel declares a state of emergency
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz previously described the attack as “to eliminate threats”.
Israel also declared a state of emergency and several hospitals in the country initiated their emergency protocols, including moving patients and surgeries to underground facilities.
