US President Donald Trump confirms major combat operations in Iran after joint strikes with Israel as explosions hit Tehran and regional tensions surge.
Speaking directly to Iranians and Iran’s military leadership, Trump delivered two stark messages.
The conflict in the Middle East entered a dangerous new phase after Donald Trump confirmed that the United States had launched “major combat operations in Iran” following coordinated military strikes with Israel. The attacks hit Tehran and possibly other locations across the country, triggering explosions, widespread disruption, and fears of a full-scale regional war.
Speaking directly to Iranians and Iran’s military leadership, Trump delivered two stark messages. Addressing the public, he said the operations aimed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. He then issued a direct warning to Iran’s elite force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, saying: “You should lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death.” He added a blunt warning that “tonight, bombs will be dropping everywhere.”
Trump claimed Iran continued to expand its nuclear weapons programme and develop missiles capable of reaching the United States. “We will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon,” he said in a recorded video message.
The military action followed weeks of escalating rhetoric and a massive build-up of American forces in the region, described by officials as the largest US deployment there in decades. Diplomatic efforts had also stalled after a final round of mediated nuclear talks failed to produce an agreement.
The US-Israel operation appeared to begin with a strike close to the offices of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader. Iranian media reported explosions across Tehran, with smoke rising from central districts that house key government and security institutions.
It remained unclear whether the 86-year-old Khamenei was present at the site during the attack. He has not appeared publicly in recent days amid intensifying tensions with Washington. US officials indicated he may have already been moved to a secure location outside the capital.
Authorities shut down roads leading to Khamenei’s compound as additional blasts echoed across Tehran. Neighboring Iraq also closed its airspace amid fears the conflict could spill beyond Iran’s borders.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed Israel’s role in the strikes, describing the operation as one carried out “to remove threats.” He did not provide further details on specific targets but announced emergency measures across Israel.
Israeli officials said the campaign focused on Iran’s military infrastructure, intelligence facilities, and symbols of state power. Authorities closed Israel’s international airspace, suspended schools and workplaces, and warned citizens to prepare for potential retaliation.
Inside Iran, the impact was immediate. Tehran residents reported hearing multiple explosions, including the first blast near Khamenei’s office. Iranian state television acknowledged the explosions without explaining their cause. Iran shut down its airspace, while mobile phone services were cut in several areas.
The warning to pilots came as smoke rose across the capital. Emergency services rushed to affected zones as uncertainty spread among civilians.
Sirens sounded across Israel as hospitals activated emergency protocols, moving patients and critical procedures to underground facilities. The Israeli military said it had issued a “proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel.”
Iran has warned that US military personnel and bases across the region would become legitimate targets if attacks continued. While Tehran has not yet announced a formal response, the risk of escalation remains high.
Trump has long sought a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and sees the current moment as an opportunity, with Iran facing internal pressure and growing public dissent. Iran, however, insists it has the right to enrich uranium and refuses to negotiate on its missile programme or its support for regional armed groups.
As airspace closures, explosions, and military alerts continue, the world is watching closely to see whether this confrontation will widen into a broader war.
