President Donald Trump has confirmed that “major combat operations” are under way after Israel and the US launched strikes against Iran.
In a video statement on truth social, Trump has urged the Iranian military to lay down their arms, warning they would otherwise “face certain death.” He also appealed to ordinary Iranians to “take over your government” after the US accomplishes its objectives.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks aimed to “remove the existential threat” posed by the Iranian regime, and he also urged the Iranian people to topple the government.
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A short time beforehand, Israel said it had launched “preventative” strikes on Iran.
Iran Release Proof Israel Planning 'Worse Than 9/11' False Flag on U.S. to Destroy Trump's Ceasefire
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that explosions were heard in the cities of Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah, as well as in the capital Tehran.
Israel has declared a nationwide state of emergency with the IDF reporting that Iran is launching a “barrage of missiles” at Israel.
RT reports: The announcement came shortly after Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the IDF had conducted what he called a pre-emptive strike against Iran, highlighting that retaliatory missile and drone attacks against Israel are expected in the near future.
In the last few minutes, sirens sounded across the country, accompanied by advance alerts sent directly to mobile devices, instructing residents to remain near protected spaces, the IDF said.
New Home Front Command guidelines have been issued in Israel, banning educational activities, public gatherings and workplace attendance, with exceptions only for essential services. The military stressed that the proactive alert is intended to prepare the public for the potential launch of missiles at Israel.
Early Saturday, local media cited Katz as saying the strike was intended “to remove threats against the State of Israel.”
A senior defense official told Israeli Channel 13 that “this is a joint Israeli-American attack” which the sides had been planning “for months.” A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, later confirmed to the WSJ that the American military was involved in the operation.
Israeli Channel 12 claimed that the strikes were aimed at “dozens of regime targets,” with unconfirmed media reports suggesting that one of the attacks had been launched at an Iranian presidential facility.
Video circulating on social media shows two large plumes of smoke rising over buildings in the Iranian capital.
Three explosions occurred in Tehran, according to the local news agency Fars. Mehr reports that several rockets landed on University Street and in the Jomhouri district. This is a central square in Tehran, near the residence of Iran’s leaders — Sa’dabad Palace.
On Friday, the US announced the evacuation of some diplomats and their families from Israel and advised its citizens to avoid traveling to the country. The UK recalled staff from its embassy in Iran, also recommending that its citizens follow safety precautions.
