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WASHINGTON, D.C.—The United States and Israel launched a coordinated military assault on Iran early Saturday, targeting the regime’s leadership and military infrastructure in a bid to neutralize threats to American security and prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The Pentagon dubbed the U.S. effort Operation Epic Fury, while Israel named it Operation Roaring Lion. The goal appears to be total decapitation of the Iranian regime.

President Donald J Trump described the operation as a “massive and ongoing” campaign, urging Iranians to overthrow their government once the strikes conclude and warning of potential American casualties in what he called a “noble mission” for future peace.

Trump told the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to surrender or face “certain death.” 

Trump said that the attack aimed to “defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.” Israeli officials framed it as a preemptive move to remove an “existential threat,” while Tehran vowed a “crushing” retaliation, firing missiles at U.S. bases throughout the Gulf including Israel. One civilian casualty by an Iranian missile strike in Abu Dahbi, United Arab Emirates, has been reported.

Explosions rocked Tehran, Isfahan, Karaj, Qom, Bushehr, Chabahar, Khorramabad, and Kermanshah. U.S. and Israeli forces struck sites linked to Iran’s supreme leader, president and top military commanders.

Reports that the Iranian Parliament was also struck with Tomahawk missiles.

Initial reports indicated severe damage to missile facilities, naval assets and command centers, with several senior Revolutionary Guards commanders and political officials killed.

Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, Head of the Judiciary in Iran who sentenced thousands of recent protesters to death, was eliminated, Israeli officials confirm. Amir Hatami, Iran’s Defense Minister, was also eliminated.

The residence of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as destroyed. Reuters reports that he was moved to a secure location.

Iranian state media reported at least 40 deaths at a girls’ primary school in the southern town of Minab, though overall casualty figures remained unclear amid the chaos.

Iran countered about an hour after the initial attack, launching ballistic missiles and drones at Israel and U.S. military installations in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iraq.

Air raid sirens wailed in Israeli cities like Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, sending residents to shelters as defenses downed incoming projectiles. Israel has declared a nationwide state of emergency with schools closed and workplaces closed, and public gatherings banned.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued a strong condemnation of Iran’s retaliatory attacks, describing it as a “brutal” and “blatant violation” of the sovereignty of several neighboring nations, including that the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan. The kingdom committed to unwavering solidarity with these “brotherly countries,” and to provide all necessary resources to aid in their response against Iran.

Qatar joined Saudi Arabia in condemning Iran’s strikes across the Middle East and promised it is prepared to respond aggressively.

The assault followed months of military buildup in the region, with the U.S. deploying two carrier strike groups and hundreds of aircraft to support potential operations. It came amid failed nuclear negotiations in Geneva, where U.S. demands for Iran to dismantle key facilities and end its enrichment of uranium stalled.

Trump had repeatedly warned Tehran of consequences if talks collapsed, often reminding Iranian officials of Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025, that targeted Iran’s nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan with bunker-busting bombs and cruise missiles, inflicting “extremely severe damage.”

Saturday’s strikes followed Iran’s brutal suppression of domestic protests where in January 2026, security forces killed thousands during nationwide unrest, with estimates ranging from 7,000 to over 43,000 deaths.

In a video address posted to Truth Social, President Trump outlined the Operation Epic Fury’s objectives, tracing Iran’s “unending campaign of bloodshed” from the 1979 U.S. embassy takeover to recent attacks on American forces.

“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,” Trump said. “Among the regime’s very first acts was to back a violent takeover of the U.S. 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.”

Trump reiterated his policy: “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.”

“We are going to destroy their missiles and raise their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally, again, obliterated. We are going to annihilate their navy,” said President Trump.

He called on Iranian forces to surrender for “complete immunity” or face “certain death,” and urged civilians: “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… When we are finished, take over your government.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed the call for change in a statement on X.

“For 47 years, the Ayatollah regime has called ‘Death to Israel,’ ‘Death to America.’ It has shed our blood, murdered many Americans, and slaughtered its own people. This murderous terrorist regime must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons that would enable it to threaten all of humanity. Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” said Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi addressed his people and urged military and police to deect: “My dear compatriots, Moments of destiny lie ahead of us. The aid that the President of the United States promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived. This is a humanitarian intervention; and its target is the Islamic Republic, its repressive apparatus, and its machinery of slaughter—not the country and great nation of Iran. But, even with the arrival of this aid, the final victory will still be forged by our hands. It is we, the people of Iran, who will finish the job in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is near.”

Prominent U.S. officials backed the action. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, called it “necessary and long justified.” Democratic Sen. John Fetterman praised the strikes as “right and necessary.”

Author: Mario Lotmore