🚀Trump Announces ‘Major Combat Operations’ Against Iran, Urges Regime Change

U.S.-Israel Strikes Target Missile Sites and Naval Assets After Nuclear Talks Collapse; Tehran Vows Retaliation as Region Braces for Wider War

In a dramatic escalation that reshapes the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, President Donald Trump announced the launch of “major combat operations” against Iran early Saturday, following weeks of stalled nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

The United States, acting in coordination with Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, carried out a sweeping military campaign targeting Iranian missile infrastructure, naval assets, and key defense facilities. The strikes, which included dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from U.S. warships and coordinated air operations involving American fighter aircraft, signal one of the most significant U.S. military offensives in the region in years.

A High-Stakes Gamble

In an eight-minute address posted to Truth Social, Trump framed the operation as a decisive response to what he described as Iran’s failure to meet U.S. demands in nuclear negotiations.

“We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” Trump declared, adding that Iranian forces could either “lay down your weapons and have complete immunity” or “face certain death.”

The president also went further than previous administrations by openly urging regime change, calling on the Iranian people to seize what he described as a generational opportunity to overthrow the country’s Islamist leadership.

The remarks mark a sharp departure from traditional U.S. policy, which has typically avoided explicit calls for the removal of Iran’s ruling clerics.

Immediate Retaliation and Regional Fallout

Iran responded swiftly, launching missiles toward Israeli territory, according to Israeli defense officials. Defensive systems were activated to intercept incoming threats.

Tehran’s foreign ministry condemned the strikes as aggression against both military and “non-military sites,” calling on the United Nations to intervene and warning of “firm and decisive” retaliation.

The risk of a broader regional war looms large. U.S. embassies across Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain issued shelter-in-place alerts to personnel, reflecting heightened concerns of proxy retaliation or direct attacks on American forces stationed throughout the region.

The Pentagon’s recent buildup — including two aircraft carriers, F-35s, F-16s, F-22s, and surveillance aircraft — suggests the campaign could extend for “days, not hours,” according to a U.S. official familiar with operational planning.

Notably, no U.S. ground troops were initially deployed inside Iran.

Nuclear Flashpoint

The military operation follows months of diplomatic friction centered on Iran’s uranium enrichment program. Washington demanded that Tehran publicly renounce any pursuit of nuclear weapons and halt enrichment efforts. Iran insisted its program is peaceful and within its sovereign rights.

Trump asserted Saturday that Iran had attempted to rebuild nuclear infrastructure previously damaged in earlier strikes and was advancing long-range missile capabilities capable of threatening U.S. troops, European allies, and potentially the American homeland.

While Iran maintains it does not seek nuclear weapons, Western intelligence agencies have long expressed skepticism, particularly over Tehran’s elevated enrichment levels and ballistic missile development.

Political Reverberations at Home

The escalation comes months before U.S. midterm elections, injecting foreign policy squarely into domestic political debate.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) criticized the strikes as “acts of war unauthorized by Congress,” raising constitutional concerns over executive war powers. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) warned against risking American lives while supporting Iran’s pro-democracy movement.

Despite bipartisan unease, Trump has previously faced limited political fallout from military actions, including operations in Latin America earlier this year.

Still, Iran’s size, military capacity, and entrenched power structure — including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — present far greater strategic complexity than prior engagements.

Strategic Crossroads

Iran’s regime has weathered years of sanctions, economic strain, and internal protest movements. Whether external military pressure will weaken or consolidate hardline control remains uncertain.

Trump framed the conflict as a necessary risk. “The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost,” he acknowledged. “That often happens in war, but we’re doing this for the future.”

With missiles flying and diplomatic channels effectively frozen, the question now facing Washington and its allies is whether this campaign compels Tehran back to the negotiating table — or ignites a prolonged regional confrontation with unpredictable global consequences.

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-- By James W. Thomas, Jasmine Thomas, Regina E. Zaracho Baez, John James, and Andre Leday

Frank Atkinson and Leticia Jacobs contributed to this report.

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