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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. and Israel launched a large onslaught connected Iran connected Saturday, with President Donald Trump calling connected the Iranian nationalist to “seize power of your destiny” and emergence up against the Islamic enactment that has ruled the federation since 1979.
Some of the archetypal strikes appeared to deed areas astir the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Iranian media reported strikes nationwide, and fume could beryllium seen rising from the capital.
“When we are finished, instrumentality implicit your government. It volition beryllium yours to take. This volition beryllium astir apt your lone accidental for generations,” Trump said successful a video announcing “major combat operations” were underway. “For galore years, you person asked for America’s help, but you ne'er got it.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed that sweeping goal. “Our associated cognition volition make the conditions for the brave Iranian radical to instrumentality their destiny into their ain hands,” Netanyahu said.
The strikes came aft tensions soared successful caller weeks arsenic American warships moved into the region, and Trump said helium wanted a woody to constrain Iran’s atomic programme astatine a infinitesimal erstwhile the state is struggling astatine location with increasing dissent pursuing nationwide protests.
Iran responded arsenic it had been threatening to bash for months — archetypal launching a question of missiles and drones targeting Israel. It followed with strikes targeting U.S. subject installations successful Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Shrapnel from an Iranian rocket onslaught connected the superior of the United Arab Emirates killed 1 person, authorities media said. The UAE and Iraq unopen down their airspace.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a defiant statement, saying that the state “will not hesitate” successful its response. In a connection posted connected X, the ministry said: “The clip has travel to support the homeland and face the enemy’s subject assault.”
'Major combat operations’
Trump, successful justifying the subject action, claimed that Iran has continued to make its atomic programme and plans to make missiles to scope the U.S.
He besides acknowledged that determination could beryllium American casualties, saying “that often happens successful war.”
It was a notable telephone connected Americans to brace themselves from a U.S. person who swept into bureau connected an “America First” level and vowed to support retired of “forever wars” that had bogged down his caller predecessors.
Trump’s connection indicated the U.S. was striking for reasons acold beyond the atomic program, listing grievances stretching backmost to the opening of the Islamic Republic pursuing a gyration successful 1979 that turned Iran from 1 of America’s closest allies successful the Middle East into a fierce foe.
The U.S. president said helium was aiming to “annihilate” the Iranian navy and destruct determination proxies supported by Tehran.
He besides called connected the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to laic down its arms, pledging that members would beryllium fixed immunity, portion informing they would look “certain death” if they didn’t.
“They’ve rejected each accidental to renounce their atomic ambitions, and we can’t instrumentality it anymore,” Trump said.
Iran has said it hasn’t enriched since June, but it has blocked planetary inspectors from visiting the sites America bombed during a 12-day warfare then. Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press person shown caller enactment astatine 2 of those sites, suggesting Iran is trying to measure and perchance retrieve worldly there.
Iran presently has a self-imposed bounds connected its ballistic rocket program, limiting their scope to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). That puts each the Mideast and immoderate of eastbound Europe successful their range. There is nary nationalist grounds of Iran seeking to person intercontinental ballistic missiles, though Washington has criticized its abstraction programme arsenic perchance allowing it to 1 day.
Iran had hoped to avert a war, but maintains it has the close to enrich uranium and does not privation to sermon different issues, similar its long-range rocket programme oregon enactment for equipped groups similar Hamas and Hezbollah.
Strikes deed targets crossed Iran
Iranian media reported strikes nationwide. Roads to Khamenei's compound successful downtown Tehran had been unopen down by authorities arsenic different blasts rang retired crossed the capital.
In Tehran, witnesses heard the archetypal blast by Khamenei’s office. Iranian authorities tv aboriginal reported connected the explosion, without offering a cause.
More explosions struck Iran’s superior aft Israel said it was attacking the country. Authorities person offered nary casualty accusation from the strikes.
Targets successful the Israeli run included Iran’s military, symbols of authorities and quality targets, according to an authoritative briefed connected the operation, who spoke connected information of anonymity to sermon nonpublic accusation connected the attack.
Iran retaliates
Hours aft the strikes, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a “first wave” of drones and missiles targeting Israel, wherever a nationwide informing was issued arsenic the subject said it was moving to intercept incoming Iranian missiles. There was nary contiguous connection connected immoderate harm oregon casualties from the ongoing attack.
Meanwhile, Bahrain said that a rocket onslaught targeted the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet office successful the land kingdom. Witnesses heard sirens and explosions successful Kuwait, location to U.S. Army Central. Explosions could beryllium besides beryllium heard successful Qatar.
Iraq and the United Arab Emirates closed their airspace, and sirens sounded successful Jordan.
The Iranian-backed Houthis successful Yemen, meanwhile, vowed to resume attacks connected Red Sea shipping routes and connected Israel, according to 2 elder Houthi officials. They spoke connected information of anonymity due to the fact that determination was nary authoritative announcement from the Houthi leadership.
U.S. embassies oregon consulates successful Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Israel posted connected societal media that they told staffers to structure successful spot and recommended each Americans “do the aforesaid until further notice.”
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Toropin and Madhani reported from Washington and Boak from West Palm Beach, Florida. Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman and Sam Mednick successful Tel Aviv, Israel, Samy Magdy successful Cairo, and Farnoush Amiri successful New York contributed to this report.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.
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