The United States and Israel have launched a serious attack on Iran, which President Donald Trump mentioned would lay waste to the nation’s navy, obliterate its navy program, and may even topple its regime.
In a video on Truth Social, Trump accused Iran of rejecting “every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions,” and mentioned the US “can’t take it anymore.”
Unlike the final time the US and Israel struck Iran, in June, these strikes started in daylight on Saturday morning – the first day of the week in Iran – as tens of millions went to work or faculty. And whereas the US strikes in June had been over inside just a few hours, sources have advised NCS that the US navy is that this time planning for a number of days of assaults, suggesting broader aims.
In response, the Iranian regime has launched an unprecedented wave of strikes throughout the Middle East, focusing on a number of international locations that host US navy bases. Blasts have been heard from the seashores of Dubai to the streets of Doha, in what might be the opening salvos of a battle that threatens to engulf the area.
The extent of the harm in Iran and throughout the area continues to be rising. Here’s what we know to this point.
The Iranian authorities has been beneath extreme strain since the flip of the 12 months. Already weakened by final summer time’s battle with Israel, which the US briefly joined, the regime has been battling a extreme financial disaster which sparked nationwide protests in January.
After a crackdown left hundreds of protesters lifeless, Trump promised to return to their help. He warned the US was “locked and loaded” to attack and started shifting big quantities of materiel to the area.
Despite the navy constructing, the US additionally resumed efforts to succeed in a brand new nuclear take care of Iran. The final spherical of talks led to Switzerland on Thursday, with Iran agreeing “never” to stockpile enriched uranium. The Omani overseas minister, who has acted as a mediator in the talks, mentioned there had been “significant” progress.
That progress, nonetheless, was not sufficient to stop the US from taking navy motion. In his 2.30 a.m. handle, Trump mentioned the foremost goal of the operation – which the Department of Defense is asking “Operation Epic Fury” – is “to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
Those threats, he mentioned, included Iran’s nuclear program – which the White House claimed to have “totally” obliterated with its strikes in June.
“It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump mentioned, with out offering proof that Iran was any nearer to acquiring a nuclear weapon. “They rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can’t take it anymore.”
The president additionally repeated his latest claims that Iran is constructing ballistic missiles which may attain the US mainland. In his State of the Union handle Tuesday, Trump mentioned Iran has “already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America.”
But these claims should not backed up by US intelligence, NCS has beforehand reported. An unclassified assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) from 2025 mentioned that Iran may develop a “militarily-viable” intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by 2035 “should Tehran decide to pursue the capability.”
According to 2 sources, the declare that Iran will quickly have a missile able to hitting the US just isn’t backed up by intelligence. There is not any intelligence to recommend that Iran is pursuing an ICBM program to hit the US at the moment, the sources mentioned.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lengthy seen Iran as Israel’s most harmful adversary. After crippling Iran’s proxies – Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon – Israel final summer time launched a battle towards Iran itself.
Although Israel halted the battle after the US struck Iran’s nuclear websites, analysts had lengthy suspected that Netanyahu would take a possibility to renew assaults on Iran. With elections due in October, Netanyahu might also see the return to battle as an opportunity to shore up his standing domestically.
In a video assertion Saturday, explaining why Israel was resuming its strikes on Iran, Netanyahu additionally repeated his declare that the Islamic regime should not be allowed to accumulate a nuclear weapon.
Are the US and Israel looking for regime change?
What was uncommon about Trump’s and Netanyahu’s statements is that each had been express about their hopes for regime change in Iran.
Trump addressed the Iranian folks straight, telling them that “the hour of your freedom is at hand.”
“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be, probably, your only chance for generations,” he mentioned.
Netanyahu additionally referred to as on “all parts of the Iranian people” to “cast off the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peaceful Iran.” He mentioned the US and Israeli actions “will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.”
An Israeli navy official has, nonetheless, emphasised that the foremost focus of the operation stays on navy targets.
Explosions had been heard in Tehran’s Pasteur district, the place the extremely safe compound housing the residence and workplace of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is situated, Iranian state-affiliated information shops mentioned. Several different cities had been hit.
Two Israeli sources advised NCS that the strikes focused senior figures, together with Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and the armed forces’ chief of employees Abdolrahim Mousavi.
Iranian state media mentioned high officers had been secure, together with Pezeshkian, however the targets recommend that Israel is looking for to decapitate the Iranian management.
Iran has retaliated with an unprecedented wave of strikes throughout the Middle East, focusing on a number of close by international locations that host US navy bases, in addition to Israel.
When the US and Israel final struck Iran in June, they focused its stockpile of ballistic missiles, hampering its capacity to retaliate. Iran might be attempting to utilize its arsenal whereas it nonetheless has it.
Blasts have been reported in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain in addition to in Iran’s key regional rival Saudi Arabia, which vowed to take “all necessary measures” to defend itself.
Iran’s overseas minister, Abbas Araghchi, condemned the US-Israeli strikes as unprovoked and unlawful.