Donald Trump announced on Saturday, February 28, that American and Israeli forces had launched what he called a “massive and ongoing operation” against Iran, warning Iranian troops to surrender or face severe consequences.
In an eight-minute video shared on Truth Social, Trump said the joint military campaign was intended to stop Iran’s leadership from threatening the United States and its allies.
“We are undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests,” he said.
The strikes followed weeks of heightened rhetoric from Washington, with Trump repeatedly urging Tehran to accept a new nuclear agreement. He also criticized the Iranian government for its crackdown on protesters earlier in the year.
In the lead-up to the operation, the US repositioned more than a dozen naval ships and aircraft to the Middle East, signaling possible military action. The military buildup took place even as American officials held indirect discussions with Iranian representatives over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Trump described the mission in sweeping terms.
“We will destroy their missiles and dismantle their missile industry. We will eliminate their Navy and ensure that terrorist proxies in the region can no longer destabilize it,” he said.
The president maintained that Washington had made multiple efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but claimed Iranian leaders rejected those opportunities.
“This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States armed forces,” he said.
Trump also acknowledged the dangers associated with the conflict, warning that American service members could be killed.
“The Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties. That often happens in war,” he said, adding that he believed the operation was necessary to secure long-term stability.
