US President, Donald Trump on Saturday, February 28, declared that American and Israeli forces had begun what he described as a “massive and ongoing operation” against Iran, warning Iranian troops to surrender or face devastating consequences.
In an eight-minute video posted on Truth Social, Trump said the joint military campaign was aimed at stopping 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 came after weeks of escalating rhetoric from Washington, during which Trump repeatedly pressured Tehran to agree to a new nuclear deal. He had also condemned the Iranian government over its crackdown on protesters earlier in the year.
Ahead of the operation, the US repositioned more than a dozen naval vessels and aircraft to the Middle East, signaling preparations for possible military action. The buildup unfolded even as American officials engaged in indirect talks with Iranian representatives over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Trump said the objective of the campaign was sweeping and uncompromising.
“We will destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry. We will annihilate their Navy and ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region,” he declared.
The president insisted that Washington had repeatedly attempted to secure a diplomatic agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions but claimed Iranian leaders had refused every opportunity.
“This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States armed forces,” he said.
Trump acknowledged the risks involved in the unfolding conflict, cautioning that American service members could be killed in the fighting.
“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 the mission was necessary for long-term security.
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The escalation marks one of the most significant direct confrontations between the US, Israel and Iran in recent years, raising fears of a broader regional war.
Negotiators from the two sides held indirect talks in Oman in early February, followed by two rounds of negotiations in Switzerland later in the month. Iranian officials described the talks in generally positive terms, and Trump has said that Iran wants a deal.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who has helped mediate the talks, told CBS News after the third round of negotiations that a deal was “within our reach” and they just “need a little bit more time.”