Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Photo: VCG

The US and Israel carried out military strikes on targets in Iran early Saturday. US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu respectively issued statement on the strikes: Trump threatens Iran, claiming that Iranians to "take over your government" after the attack, which comes after weeks of threats and negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.

Trump confirmed the strike in a video message shared on Truth Social saying, "A short time ago, the US military began major combat operations in Iran," NBC News reported. Trump claimed in the pre-recorded eight-minute video message that "when we are finished, take over your government," according to multiple media reports.

Describing the decision to launch a "major" military operation against Iran Saturday morning, Trump said in a video posted to social media that Iran was developing "long-range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the American homeland," CNN reported. 

"They rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can't take it anymore," he said, per CNN. 

Almost at the same time, Netanyahu issued a video message in Hebrew after Israel and the US launched a wave of strikes against Iran, saying the operation was launched "to remove the existential threat" posed by the Islamic Republic, and "create the conditions" for Iranians to change their destiny, according to the Times of Israel. 

Israel's military said on Saturday that it "identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israel," NBC News said. 

"Sirens were sounded in several areas across the country following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward Israel," the Israel Defense Forces said on X.

Explosions have also been reported in Iranian cities including Kermanshah, Lorestan, Tabriz, Isfahan and Karaj, the Al Jazeera reported. 

Iran is preparing to "take revenge" on Israel and deliver "strong response," Al Jazeera reported, citing the state TV. According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, following the "aggressive" strikes, Tehran is preparing to carry out "destructive retaliatory strikes" against Israel.

"Tehran is preparing for retaliation; the response will be crushing," an Iranian officials said, according to Reuters.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not in Tehran, and has been transferred to a secure location, an official told Reuters on Saturday.

The US Department of Defense has named the US and Israel campaign against Iran "Operation Epic Fury," following the strikes carried out Saturday morning, according to CNN. 

And Israel has named its operation against Iran "Lion's Roar," the Times of Israel reported. 


Global Times