Trump says US has started 'major combat operations' against Iran as strikes hit Tehran

• The US and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on Saturday, according to the two countries.
• US President Donald Trump said in a video that the strikes were the start of 'major combat operations'
• The strikes come after the US and Israel bombed Iran last summer.

President Donald Trump announced early Saturday that the US had begun "major combat operations in Iran," adding that the objective "is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats" from the regime.

In a video statement posted to Truth Social, Trump vowed to destroy Iran's missile program and navy, and ensure that the country can "never" have a nuclear weapon. He called on Tehran's forces to surrender or face "certain death."

"The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war," Trump said. "But we're doing this not for now — we're doing this for the future. And it's a noble mission."

Trump also called for Iranian citizens to "seize control" in the aftermath of the US operations.

"When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take," Trump said in the video statement. "This will be, probably, your only chance for generations."

The US and Israel carried out joint airstrikes against Iran on Saturday, officials had confirmed earlier, following months of tensions between Tehran and Washington and a massive American military buildup in the region.

The Israeli government first announced the strikes. Defense Minister Israel Katz called the military action "preemptive" and carried out "to eliminate threats against the country of Israel."

"As a result, a missile and drone attack against Israel and its civilian population is expected in the near future," he added.

A US official confirmed to Business Insider that American forces were involved, adding that the strikes were ongoing.

Footage circulating on social media appeared to show explosions and plumes of smoke in Iran in broad daylight.

The attack marks the second time that the Trump administration has taken direct military action against Iran. In June 2025, the US bombed the country's nuclear facilities as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, and Trump said at the time these had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear sites.

This new round of strikes comes on the heels of negotiations between the US and Iran, part of the Trump administration's efforts to pressure Tehran into a deal that would severely limit its nuclear and military capabilities. It also follows the withdrawal of Western diplomats from several Middle East countries.

In recent weeks, as Trump has issued repeated threats and warnings to Iran, pushing it to make a deal, the US has built up a large military footprint in the Middle East and nearby European waters.

The Pentagon has surged hundreds of fighter jets, aerial refueling tankers, reconnaissance planes, support aircraft, and warships into the region.

One complicating factor has been public resistance from US allies to operations against Iran. The UK barred the US from using its nearby bases, and Jordan said that its bases couldn't be used for attacks on Iran, despite imagery showing the US has shifted cargo planes and F-35 stealth fighters to one of its bases.

The significant US naval presence on station or taking up position in the area includes at least two aircraft carriers, more than a dozen guided-missile destroyers, and three littoral combat ships, which are designed for near-shore operations.

The two aircraft carriers — USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford — are each equipped with dozens of embarked fighters, electronic attack jets, early warning planes, and helicopters. The Lincoln's air wing includes F-35 stealth fighters.

On Friday, a day after the Trump administration's negotiations with Iranian officials in Geneva, White House official Dan Scavino posted a photograph on social media of eight B-2 Spirit stealth bombers on a runway, suggesting these aircraft could be used to strike Iran again.

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.