WASHINGTON – Amid explosions in Tehran and Israel announcing a “pre-emptive” strike against Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged that the U.S. military has launched what he called a “massive combat operation” in the Islamic Republic.
“A short time ago, the U.S. military launched a major combat operation in Iran. Our objective is to eliminate the immediate threat posed by the Iranian regime and protect the American people,” Trump said in a video posted to his Truth Social account.
He said Iran’s “threatening activities” directly endanger the United States, its military, overseas bases and allies around the world.
President Trump vowed to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities and dismantle its missile industry, and reiterated that Iran would not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
“We’re going to destroy their missiles, we’re going to completely destroy their missile industry. We’re going to completely wipe it out again,” he said.
He added that the United States will ensure that purported Iranian-backed proxies do not destabilize the region or attack U.S. forces.
President Trump said Iranian forces “killed and seriously injured hundreds of American service members in Iraq,” citing past attacks such as the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, the 1983 Beirut Marine Barracks bombing that killed 241 Americans, and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole.
He accused Iran of continuing to support militant groups across Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq, describing it as “the world’s number one state sponsor of terrorism.”
President Trump said it has been long-standing U.S. policy, especially under the Trump administration, that Iran “can never acquire nuclear weapons.” He cited last June’s Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, and claimed that Iran was trying to restart its nuclear and missile programs during negotiations.
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“For these reasons, the U.S. military is conducting a large-scale, ongoing operation to prevent this deeply evil and extremist dictatorship from threatening the core national security interests of the United States and our nation.”
He acknowledged the risk of escalation and said there could be casualties among U.S. military personnel. “The lives of our brave American heroes may be lost, and we may suffer casualties, as is often the case in war,” he said.
In remarks to Iranians, President Trump urged civilians to stay indoors and called on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, military and police to lay down their weapons.
“When we are finished, take over your government. It is yours. This is probably your only chance for generations,” he said, warning that those who do not resign could face “certain death.”
In a separate post on social media platform X, the U.S. Department of the Army called the operation “Operation Epic Fury.”
The attack came amid ongoing diplomatic efforts over Iran’s nuclear program, mediated by Oman. New talks in Geneva concluded on Thursday. Last June, the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities on the final day of the 12-day Israel-Iran war.
