The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this Saturday that the U.S. military has begun "large-scale combat operations in Iran" in coordination with Israel, marking a significant military escalation in the Middle East.
In a video message posted minutes ago on his Truth Social network, Trump asserted that the operation aims to "defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime."
"Recently, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran," the president stated. "Our goal is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime."
"They will never have a nuclear weapon."
Trump reiterated that his administration will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. "I'll say it again: they can never have a nuclear weapon," he asserted emphatically.
The president stated that the Iranian regime has rejected all opportunities for decades to renounce its nuclear ambitions and asserted that it recently attempted to rebuild its atomic program and continue developing long-range missiles capable of threatening the United States, Europe, and allies in the region.
"We are undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this radical dictatorship from threatening the United States and our national security interests," he added.
Direct threat to the Iranian regime
Trump also issued a direct warning to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the Iranian armed forces, and the country’s police forces.
"They must lay down their arms and they will have total immunity. Otherwise, they will face certain death," he stated.
In a message directed to the Iranian people, he assured them that “the hour of their freedom is within reach” and urged them to remain safe in their homes while the bombings continue.
Joint operation with Israel
The announcement officially confirms the direct involvement of the United States in the attacks that began hours earlier, which included explosions in Tehran and other strategic areas.
Israel declared a national state of emergency and closed its airspace in response to potential reprisals. Iranian authorities have also activated emergency measures.
So far, no official figures of casualties have been confirmed. The military operation is ongoing.
Words from Donald Trump on February 28 after announcing the military operation by the U.S. and Israel against Iran
Recently, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Our goal is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.
For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted "death to America" and has waged an endless campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops, and innocent people in many countries.
One of the regime's first actions was to support the violent takeover of the United States Embassy in Tehran, holding dozens of American hostages for 444 days.
In 1983, Iran's operatives carried out the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, which killed 241 U.S. service members. In 2000, they were aware of this and were likely involved in the attack on the USS Cole. Hundreds of U.S. service members in Iraq have been attacked, and in recent years, their operatives have launched countless attacks against U.S. forces in the Middle East, as well as against naval and commercial ships in international shipping routes.
It has been mass terror, and we will not tolerate it any longer.
From Lebanon to Yemen and from Syria to Iraq, the regime has armed, trained, and financed terrorist militias that have soaked the land with blood. And it was Iran's proxy, Hamas, that launched the monstrous attacks on October 7 against Israel, massacring more than 1,000 innocent people, including 46 Americans, and taking 12 of our citizens hostage.
Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. Recently, it killed tens of thousands of its own citizens in the streets while they were protesting.
It has always been the policy of the United States —and particularly of my administration— that this terrorist regime can never possess a nuclear weapon. I will say it again: they can never have a nuclear weapon.
That is why, in the Midnight Hammer Operation last June, we erased the regime's nuclear program in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. After that attack, we warned them never to resume their malicious pursuit of nuclear weapons, but Iran refused, as it has for decades.
Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and continue developing long-range missiles, which can now threaten our allies in Europe, our troops deployed abroad, and could soon reach the continental territory of the United States.
For these reasons, the United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this radical dictatorship from threatening the United States and our fundamental national security interests.
We will destroy their missiles and reduce their missile industry to rubble. We will annihilate their navy. We will ensure that the terrorist proxies in the region can no longer destabilize the area or the world, nor attack our forces.
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.
To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces, and all police, I say tonight: you must lay down your arms and you will have total immunity; otherwise, you will face certain death.
Finally, to the great and proud people of Iran, I say to you this evening that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay safe, do not leave your homes.
When we have finished, take control of your government: it will belong to you. This will probably be your only opportunity for generations.
God bless the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces. God bless the United States of America. Thank you.
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