United States And Israel Strike Iran In ‘Operation Epic Fury’
President Donald Trump announced that the United States has launched major combat operations against Iran in coordination with Israel, warning Tehran’s leadership to stand down or face “certain death.”
In a late-night address, Trump said the strikes were aimed at eliminating “imminent threats from the Iranian regime” that he said directly endangered U.S. forces, overseas bases, and key allies. “A short time ago, the United States Military began major combat operations in Iran,” the president said, describing the campaign as massive and ongoing.
The joint operation, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” is focused on dismantling Iran’s missile stockpiles and destroying its missile production infrastructure. Trump emphasized that a primary objective is preventing Iran from fielding long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads that could threaten the American homeland or European allies.
“Iran is the world’s number one state sponsor of terror,” Trump said. He accused the regime of developing advanced missile capabilities and warned that failing to act now would allow Tehran to grow into an even greater strategic threat. “We’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It’s going to be totally obliterated.”
Trump acknowledged the risks involved, stating that casualties are possible in any large-scale military campaign. “The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties. That often happens in war,” he said, adding that the mission was necessary to ensure that Americans would never face a nuclear-armed Iran.
The president also issued a direct appeal to Iranian military forces and security personnel, urging them to lay down their arms. He said those who do so would receive “complete immunity” and fair treatment, while those who continue fighting would face lethal force. Addressing the Iranian people, Trump called on them to remain sheltered during the strikes and suggested the moment could represent a historic opportunity for change.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the joint strikes as targeting what he called an “existential threat” to Israel. He pointed to decades of hostile rhetoric from Tehran and said the regime must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons capability. Following the strikes, air raid sirens sounded across Israel as Iranian forces launched retaliatory ballistic missiles. The Israeli Defense Forces said it was working to intercept incoming threats.
Reports also indicated explosions in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, underscoring the widening regional impact of the confrontation. The situation remains fluid as U.S. and Israeli forces continue operations and Iran responds.