The United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes on Iran on Saturday, sharply escalating tensions in the Middle East after efforts to revive nuclear negotiations failed to produce a breakthrough.
US President Donald Trump said the operation was aimed at eliminating what he described as imminent threats from Iran and preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The Pentagon confirmed the strikes were carried out under the name “Operation Epic Fury.”
Iran responded by launching missiles toward Israel, according to the Israeli military. Iranian authorities said they were preparing what one official described as a “crushing retaliation.”
Trump, in a video message posted on social media, referenced decades of hostility between Washington and Tehran, including the 1979 US embassy hostage crisis. He warned that further strikes were ongoing and urged Iranian civilians to remain sheltered.
“We have launched a massive and ongoing operation against the Islamic Republic,” Trump said, adding that Washington’s objective was to defend the American people by eliminating threats from the Iranian government.
Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the campaign involved air and sea assets and was expected to continue for several days. The scope of the operation was not immediately clear.
The renewed confrontation has dimmed prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the long-running dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme. Talks between Washington and Tehran resumed earlier this month, but disagreements over Iran’s uranium enrichment activities and ballistic missile programme remained unresolved.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the joint strikes would “create the conditions” for Iranians to determine their future. In a statement, he called on Iranians to “remove the yoke of tyranny” from their rulers.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the operation as a pre-emptive attack aimed at removing threats to Israel. An Israeli defence official said the operation had been planned for months in coordination with Washington, with the timing decided weeks ago.
Explosions were reported in Tehran early Saturday, according to Iranian media. Air raid sirens sounded across parts of Israel at around 0815 local time, as the military issued alerts over the possibility of incoming missile fire.
Israel ordered the closure of schools and most workplaces, except essential services, and shut its airspace to civilian flights. The airports authority urged the public not to travel to airports.
A source familiar with the situation said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been moved to a secure location outside Tehran.
The latest escalation follows a 12-day air conflict between Israel and Iran in June, during which the United States joined Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Tehran retaliated at the time by firing missiles at the US Al Udeid air base in Qatar.
Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons, saying its programme is for peaceful purposes. Western governments argue that Iran’s enrichment activities and ballistic missile development pose a threat to regional and global security.
Tehran has said it is willing to discuss limits on its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief but has ruled out negotiations over its missile capabilities. It has also warned neighbouring countries hosting US forces that American bases would be targeted in the event of an attack.
The strikes come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and days before the Jewish holiday of Purim.
Regional leaders have urged restraint, warning that further escalation could trigger a broader conflict across the Middle East.