Missiles Fired on Tehran as U.S. and Israel Begin Joint Operation

The U.S. and Israel have launched missiles targeting Tehran in a coordinated effort named “Operation Epic Fury,” according to the U.S. Department of War. The strikes occurred early on Saturday morning, around 1:30 a.m. Eastern time and 10:00 a.m. in Tehran.

Shortly after the attack, President Donald Trump shared an eight-minute video on Truth Social, declaring the commencement of “major combat operations in Iran.”

“Our goal is to protect the American people by eliminating immediate threats from the Iranian regime, which I’ve described as a brutal group of dangerous individuals,” Trump stated, wearing a white “USA” hat. “Their actions pose a direct risk to the U.S., our troops, and our allies worldwide.”

According to Iran’s state-run news outlet, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), at least 40 people were killed in a girls’ school in southern Iran due to the strikes, with 45 others reported injured.

In his video, Trump referenced several violent actions taken by the Iranian regime against the U.S. and its allies. He recalled the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, where 52 American citizens were held hostage for nearly 15 months as militants demanded the return of the Shah, who was receiving cancer treatment in the U.S. The hostages were finally released on the day of Ronald Reagan’s inauguration in 1981.

He also recalled the bombing of Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 that resulted in the deaths of 241 U.S. military personnel.

“The regime’s affiliates have persistently attacked American forces in the Middle East, alongside launching assaults on U.S. vessels in international waters,” Trump added. “This has resulted in widespread terror, and we won’t tolerate it any longer.”

Trump described the Iranian regime as having “armed and funded terrorist groups that have caused immense suffering” over the years, including Hamas, which perpetrated the “monstrous” attacks on Israel on October 7.

He pointed out that Iran’s violence extends beyond foreign adversaries; the regime is also notorious for its harsh treatment of its own citizens, citing their repression of protests across all 31 provinces.

“Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terror and has recently killed thousands of its own people during demonstrations,” he mentioned.

Due to the regime’s violent tendencies, Trump stated that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon.” He remarked that the recent strike appears to be the next step following the previous operation in June, which he claimed “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program.

“After that attack, we warned them not to resume their dangerous pursuit of nuclear weapons, and we repeatedly sought a deal,” he said.

Earlier in February, the U.S. and Iran had indirect discussions in Muscat, Oman, facilitated by Omani mediators. Additional sessions took place in Geneva later in February, though Trump indicated these talks did not lead to any fruitful outcomes.

The President mentioned that the military operation would be “massive and ongoing,” as long as the “radical dictatorship” continues to pose a threat to U.S. national security with its nuclear ambitions.

Trump has previously suggested that regime change in Iran would be “the best possible outcome,” coinciding with the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the world, to the Middle East. The Ford was previously assisting in the operation to extract Venezuela’s former President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in January.

On Friday, the State Department alerted U.S. officials and their families about rising tensions impacting their safety, recommending they consider leaving the area, as travel could be limited without prior notice.