and Israel launched strikes against him on Saturday, plunging the Middle East, which President Donald Trump said would end a threat to US security and give the Iranians a chance to overthrow their leadership.
Iran launched missiles at Israel, as the Israeli army announced, while the Pentagon announced that the American strikes were called “OPERATION EPIC FURY”.
The resurgence of standoff between Iran and its longtime rivals threatens to further undermine hopes for a diplomatic resolution to Tehran’s standoff with the West over its nuclear program.
Trump invokes the 1979 hostage crisis
In a video message on social media, Trump referred to the longstanding Washington-Tehran conflict, including the 1979 US embassy seizure, when students held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, and a series of other attacks the US blames on Iran since the Islamic Revolution.
He urged Iranians to stay in shelters, warning that “bombs will fall everywhere”. At the same time, he stated: “When we are done, take over your government. It will be yours. This will likely be your only chance for generations.”
The US military has launched a series of strikes against targets in Iran, two US officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The extent of the air and sea operations was not immediately clear and, according to a US official, the campaign is expected to last several days.
An Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran was preparing “overwhelming retaliation”.
Trump had significantly increased the US military presence in the region, seeking to pressure Tehran into making concessions in nuclear talks. He assured that the US is waging a “massive and ongoing” operation against the Islamic Republic, pledging to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Iran’s ballistic missile program is a key sticking point in the negotiations. Trump has claimed that Iran is developing long-range missiles that threaten the US and has threatened to destroy the related industry.
“Our goal is to defend the American people by eliminating direct threats from the Iranian regime,” he said.
Netanyahu: “Time to shake off the yoke of tyranny”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the joint US-Israel strike “will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.”
“The time has come for all sections of the Iranian people to throw off the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peaceful Iran,” he said.
A source told Reuters that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was not in Tehran and had been moved to a safe location.
The attack follows June’s 12-day air war between Israel and Iran and repeated US-Israeli warnings that they will strike again if Tehran continues its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
“The State of Israel launched a pre-emptive strike against Iran to eliminate threats,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said.
Months of planning
An Israeli defense official said the operation had been planned for months in coordination with Washington and that the launch date had been decided weeks in advance.
Iranian media reported that explosions were heard in Tehran, while sirens sounded across Israel. Israel announced the closure of schools and workplaces (except for critical sectors), a ban on public gatherings and the closure of airspace to civilian flights.
The US and Iran had restarted negotiations in February for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear dispute, but to no avail. Israel has been demanding complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and restrictions on its missile program.
Iran had said it was willing to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions, but ruled out any link to its missile arsenal, warning it would respond if attacked.
Last June, the US joined an Israeli campaign against Iranian nuclear facilities, in the most direct military action against the Islamic Republic. Tehran then responded with missile strikes against the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Western powers warn that Iran’s ballistic program threatens regional stability and could lead to the possibility of nuclear weapons transfer. Tehran denies that it is seeking to acquire them.
