The United States, alongside Israel, carried out a large-scale military attack on major cities in Iran on Saturday, with President Trump framing the operation as a moment that could open the door to political change in Tehran. The coordinated strikes came after weeks of escalating rhetoric from Trump, who had repeatedly warned that the United States would act unless Iran’s leadership agreed to American demands, particularly concerning Tehran’s nuclear program. Just two days before the attack, American and Iranian officials engaged in a final round of mediated discussions, but those talks ended without a resolution.
On Saturday, Trump declared that “major combat operations” were underway inside Iran. The Department of Defense referred to the military campaign as “Operation Epic Fury.” The assault marked a significant escalation in tensions that had been building for months, with Washington and Jerusalem aligning publicly in their approach toward Iran.
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Why Did the United States and Israel Attack Iran?
Strains between the United States and Iran intensified in January, when Trump pledged support for demonstrators after Iran’s government used lethal force to suppress public unrest. In recorded remarks delivered as the attack began, Trump directly addressed the Iranian people and encouraged them to seek political change once the military campaign concluded.
“This will be probably your only chance for generations,” he said. “For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want, so let’s see how you respond.”
The latest strike represents the second U.S. military action inside Iran in less than a year. In June, American forces targeted three nuclear facilities in the country. Officials indicated that the current operation was expected to be considerably broader in scope than the earlier attack.
For Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, participating in the assault aligns with a long-standing objective to remove Iran’s leadership, which he has described as a significant threat to Israel, the broader Middle East, and global security. In a televised address, Netanyahu said the joint operation could “create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.”
What Were the Targets?
The attacks began at the start of the Iranian workweek, with explosions reported in multiple cities, including Qom, Kermanshah, Isfahan and Karaj, according to Iran’s semiofficial Fars News Agency. In Tehran, where the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei resides, images showed dense plumes of smoke rising over parts of the city.
According to three Israeli security officials familiar with the planning, one of the primary goals of the initial wave of strikes was to target as many leaders as possible. The Israeli military stated that its air force conducted a wide-ranging series of strikes against several military sites in western Iran. Israeli officials indicated that they anticipated the campaign could continue for several days.
How Has Iran Responded?
In response to the joint assault, Iran launched a series of missile and drone strikes aimed at Israel, the Revolutionary Guard Corps announced in a statement posted on Telegram. Iranian forces also directed missile attacks at American military installations across the region, including Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, and the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, according to Fars.
Qatar’s Ministry of Defense stated that it had “successfully thwarted a number of attacks” aimed at its territory. The retaliatory strikes resembled a previous incident last June, when Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at a U.S. military installation near Doha in response to American strikes on its nuclear facilities.
Several Gulf States host American military bases and diplomatic missions, and analysts had cautioned that they could become targets in the event of retaliation. In anticipation of possible counterattacks, the U.S. military had increased its presence in the region, a buildup that Trump described as an “armada.”
U.S. and Israel Launch Major Assault on Iran as Trump Calls for Regime Change
The coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel represent a significant escalation in already heightened tensions with Iran, following unsuccessful diplomatic efforts and earlier military actions. With missile exchanges now extending across the region and American forces reinforced in Gulf States, the situation has developed into a broader confrontation involving multiple countries and strategic targets. Officials from all sides have indicated that further developments could unfold in the days ahead.
