Shortly after 8AM local time Saturday morning, Israel launched what it called a “preemptive strike” on the Iranian capital , according to Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The first strike happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the Associated Press.
The attack was in coordination with the US, according to CNN. A state of emergency was declared across the country.
At 3:45AM, Presient Trump announced the start of the Operation Epic Fury against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its paramilitary forces, as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in order to open path for Iranian people to seize power in Iran away from the Ayatollahs
The New York Times reports that Israel will target missile storage sites, production facilities and launchers, while the US will focus on the Iranian nuclear project and additional targets related to the IRGC and Iranian Government.
IMAGE: NYT Report on Airstrikes Against Iran
US officials reportedly say they expect this attack to be far more extensive than the American strikes last June against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Israeli missiles were seen flying over Kurdistan toward Iran.
VIDEO: Israeli missiles flying over Kurdistan headed toward Iran.
A US Tomahawk cruise missile was spotted over Tehran, Iran.
VIDEO: Tomahawk Missile Over Teheran
A Iranian man on a motorcycle recorded this footage of the attack in Teheran and is hear cheering the explosion with what roughly translates to “so beautiful” as smoke rises from Supreme Leader compound.
VIDEO: Air strikes in Teheran
Women were seen laughing on a rooftop in Tehran in this cellphone video, saying “They hit the Supreme Leader compound!”
VIDEO: Women on a rooftop in Teheran.
Iranian high school students are seen thanking president Trump for striking the regime in Iran in this video. “I love Trump!” a zoomer student says
VIDEO: Iranian students celebrate airstrikes against the Iranian Regime.
Iranian Telegram channel, @FighterRadar is reporting strikes on IRGC missile sites all over the country. Israeli airstrikes are seen here targeting Bushehr in this video.
VIDEO: Israeli missiles strike Bushehr.
Yedioth Ahronoth aka @thewarreporterr reported that a large number of targeted assassinations have been carried out in Iran. Israeli media claims Amir Hatami, Commander-in-chief of the Iranian Army, has been killed.
@KurdishfrontReports Telegram channel reports:
The Iranian government has issued a severe warning to all regional nations that have allowed their airspace or territory to be used by the U.S. and Israel for strikes against Tehran.
Key Points of the Threat:
• Legitimate Targets: Tehran declared that any country facilitating these attacks will be treated as a “combatant party” and its strategic sites will become legitimate targets for Iranian missile strikes.
Regional Implications: This threat directly impacts neighboring countries, including Iraq and Gulf states, where U.S. military assets are stationed.
Vow of Retaliation: Military officials in Tehran emphasized that no nation will be exempt from the consequences of assisting in the aggression against Iran.
More than 400 rockets were fired from Iran towards Israel, according to Israeli sources, with air raid sirens issued in the north and south of the country.
IMAGE: Iranian missiles are now aimed at the Negev Desert Haifa, Northern Israel.
Several Missile strikes reported in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy 5th Fleet.
IMAGE: Screenshot of emergency announcement from the Bahraini government
Videos were quickly uploaded of the Iranian strikes against Baharain.
VIDEO: Iranian strikes in Baharain.
There are reports of Iranian missile strikes against Riyadh, capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Qatari sources tell Sky News Arabiya report that American Army downed an Iranian missile using the Patriot system over Qatar.
Missile Interceptions were seen over Abu Dhabi, Capital of United Arab Emirates and explosions were also reported over the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Western Syria.
@NayaForIraq reported that USAF F-35 warplanes were refueling over the Skies of Syria for its bombing operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran. This indicates that the Syrian Transitional Government led by Ahmad al-Shaara is aiding directly in the war against the Iranian Regime.
Joint Israeli-American Air strikes were reported against Pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militias in Iraq.
Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran’s monarchy, which was overthrown in 1979 released this video, announcing the operation to liberate Iran from the theocratic regime.
VIDEO: Reza Pahlavi
Reza Pahlavi said:
In these sensitive hours and days, more than ever, we must stay focused on our ultimate goal: reclaiming Iran.
I ask you to remain in your homes for now and preserve your safety and security. Stay vigilant and ready so that, at the appropriate time—which I will announce to you precisely—you can return to the streets for the final action.
Follow my messages through social media and satellite media. If there are disruptions to the internet and satellite, I will stay in touch with you via radio waves.
We are very close to final victory. I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran.
TRANSCRIPT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SPEECH
President Trump: A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people. Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.
For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted, “Death to America”, and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops, and the innocent people in many, many countries.
Among the regime’s very first acts was to back a violent takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran, holding dozens of American hostages for 444 days. In 1983, Iran’s proxies carried out the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut that killed 241 American military personnel.
In 2000, they knew and were probably involved with the attack on the USS Cole. Many died. Iranian forces killed and maimed hundreds of American service members in Iraq.
The regime’s proxies have continued to launch countless attacks against American forces stationed in the Middle East in recent years, as well as US Naval and commercial vessels in international shipping lanes. It’s been mass terror, and we’re not going to put up with it any longer.
From Lebanon to Yemen and Syria to Iraq, the regime has armed, trained, and funded terrorist militias that have soaked the Earth with blood and guts.
And it was Iran’s proxy, Hamas, that launched the monstrous October 7th attacks on Israel, slaughtering more than 1,000 innocent people, including 46 Americans, while taking 12 of our citizens hostage. It was brutal, something like the world has never seen before.
Iran is the world’s number one state sponsor of terror and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested.
It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I’ll say it again, they can never have a nuclear weapon. That is why, in Operation Midnight Hammer last June, we obliterated the regime’s nuclear program at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
After that attack, we warned them never to resume their malicious pursuit of nuclear weapons, and we sought repeatedly to make a deal. We tried. They wanted to do it. They didn’t want to do it. Again, they wanted to do it. They didn’t want to do it. They didn’t know what was happening. They just wanted to practice evil.
But Iran refused, just as it has for decades and decades. They’ve rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can’t take it anymore. Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing long-range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas and could soon reach the American homeland. Just imagine how emboldened this regime would be if they ever had and actually were armed with nuclear weapons as a means to deliver their message.
For these reasons, the United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests. We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally – again – obliterated.
We are going to annihilate their navy. We are going to ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces, and no longer use their IEDs or “roadside bombs”, as they are sometimes called, to so gravely wound and kill thousands and thousands of people, including many Americans.
And we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. It’s a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon. This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces.
I built and rebuilt our military in my first administration, and there is no military on Earth even close to its power, strength, or sophistication. My administration has taken every possible step to minimize the risk to US personnel in the region. 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. We pray for every service member as they selflessly risk their lives to ensure that Americans and our children will never be threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran.
We ask God to protect all of our heroes in harm’s way, and we trust that with his help, the men and women of the Armed Forces will prevail. We have the greatest in the world, and they will prevail.
To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the Armed Forces, and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity, or in the alternative, face certain death. So, lay down your arms, you will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death.
Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered, don’t leave your home, it’s very dangerous outside, bombs will be dropping everywhere.
When we are finished, take over your government, it will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it.
No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now, you have a president who is giving you what you want, so let’s see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force.
Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action, do not let it pass.
May God bless the brave men and women of America’s Armed Forces, may God bless the United States of America, may God bless you all.
Thank you.
