Trump Announces 'Major Combat Operations in Iran' as US-Israel Strikes Target Tehran, Escalating Middle East Conflict
United States President Donald Trump on Saturday confirmed that American forces had begun “major combat operations in Iran,” publicly outlining Washington’s military objectives hours after coordinated strikes with Israel intensified an already volatile regional confrontation centred on Tehran’s nuclear programme and Iran’s retaliatory missile response.
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The announcement came after Israeli daylight strikes targeted locations in Tehran, including areas near offices associated with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering Iranian warnings of retaliation and prompting regional security alerts, airspace closures and emergency advisories for civilians and foreign nationals.
Trump framed the military action as the culmination of decades of confrontation between Washington and Tehran, stating that “for 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted death to America and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder,” citing incidents including the 1979 U.S. embassy hostage crisis, the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing and attacks on American forces in Iraq.
He said Iranian-backed groups had continued “countless attacks against American forces stationed in the Middle East” and against international shipping routes.
Linking the operation directly to nuclear concerns, Trump declared that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remained a central objective of U.S. policy, repeating, “They can never have a nuclear weapon.”
He said earlier military action under what he called “Operation Midnight Hammer” had “obliterated the regime’s nuclear program at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan,” and claimed Iran later attempted to rebuild capabilities while continuing missile development that could threaten U.S. allies and potentially the American homeland.
“For these reasons,” he said, “the United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests.”
Trump added that U.S. forces intended to “destroy their missiles,” “raise their missile industry to the ground,” and “annihilate their navy,” while also seeking to neutralise regional proxy groups accused by Washington of destabilising the Middle East.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2026
The president acknowledged risks to American personnel, saying, “The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties. That often happens in war,” but described the campaign as “a noble mission” intended to ensure future generations would not face “a nuclear-armed Iran.”
In a direct appeal unusual for a wartime address, Trump addressed Iranian security forces and civilians separately, urging members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other forces to “lay down your weapons” and promising “complete immunity” if they did so, while warning they would otherwise face “certain death.”
Addressing Iranian citizens, he said, “The hour of your freedom is at hand,” urging them to remain sheltered during ongoing strikes and adding, “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”
The speech followed rapidly escalating military developments across the region, including reported missile launches toward Israel, nationwide civil defence alerts, and emergency measures affecting aviation and public activity.
Governments worldwide began issuing advisories to citizens as fears grew that the confrontation between Israel, Iran and the United States could expand into a broader regional conflict.
Casualty figures and the full extent of damage inside Iran remained unclear at the time of Trump’s address, while diplomatic reactions were still emerging.
The situation continues to evolve, with military operations ongoing and international observers closely monitoring whether the confrontation remains contained or triggers a wider geopolitical crisis.
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