US and Israel Launch Coordinated Military Strikes on Iran as Missiles Rain on Israeli Cities
By Tahir Shah :
The United States and Israel have launched a joint military assault on Iran, triggering swift retaliation from Tehran that has sent ballistic missiles toward Israeli territory and plunged the Middle East into its most dangerous confrontation in decades.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed Saturday that a preemptive strike was underway, declaring a national state of emergency. A US official told Reuters that American forces had joined the operation, with strikes being conducted by air and sea in what is expected to be a multi-day campaign.
Trump Announces Combat Operations
President Donald Trump announced the offensive in a video posted to social media, stating that the US military had initiated major combat operations in Iran. The Pentagon has named the campaign “Operation Epic Fury.”
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” Trump said. He accused Iran of continuing to pursue nuclear weapons and developing long-range missiles capable of reaching the United States.
“We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally obliterated. We’re going to annihilate their navy,” Trump declared, vowing to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
In a direct appeal to the Iranian people, Trump added: “The hour of your freedom is at hand. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”
Israel’s Objectives
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the operation as necessary to “remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran.” He thanked Trump for his “historic leadership” and urged ethnic groups within Iran to “rid themselves of the yoke of tyranny” and work toward a “free and peace-seeking Iran.”
An Israeli security source told Channel 14 that the attacks were intended to target Iran’s entire leadership. The first apparent strike occurred near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, according to Iranian state media.
Iran Strikes Back
Within hours, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it had launched a first wave of missile and drone attacks against Israel in retaliation. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that missiles were detected heading toward Israel, triggering air raid sirens across multiple areas.
“Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the IDF stated, urging citizens to follow Home Front Command directives and remain in protected spaces. Explosions were reported in northern Israel as air defense systems worked to intercept incoming projectiles.
The head of Iran’s national security commission issued a stark warning: “We warned you! Now you have started down a path which end is no longer in your control.”
Widespread Damage Across Iran
Explosions rocked multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, Kermanshah, and Lorestan. The Fars news agency reported seven missile impacts in Tehran districts where the presidential office, national security council offices, and Khamenei’s residence are located.
Iranian state television confirmed that President Masoud Pezeshkian was safe. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not in Tehran and had been moved to a secure, undisclosed location.
Targets included the Ministry of Intelligence, Ministry of Defence, Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, and the Parchin military complex, according to Iranian media. The headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps was also attacked, with a significant number of deaths and injuries reported.
Airspace Closed, Global Response
Iran immediately closed its airspace to civilian traffic, with Iraq and Israel following suit. The US embassies in Qatar and Bahrain instructed personnel to shelter in place and advised American citizens to do the same.
Russian carriers suspended flights to Iran and Israel, with alternative routes prepared for flights to Persian Gulf countries. Kuwait suspended all flights to Iran until further notice.
Diplomatic Efforts Collapse
The strikes follow renewed US-Iran negotiations in February aimed at resolving the long-standing dispute through diplomacy. However, talks in Geneva on Thursday ended inconclusively, with Trump expressing dissatisfaction with progress.
Oman’s foreign minister, who mediated the talks, had met with US Vice President JD Vance on Friday and suggested that Iran had agreed to zero stockpiling of any uranium. But Israel had insisted that any deal must include dismantling Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure and restrictions on its missile program.
Regional Stability at Grave Risk
The escalation marks the most direct US-Israeli military action against Iran in decades. In June 2025, American forces bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities during Israel’s 12-day war with Iran, and Tehran retaliated by launching missiles at the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Now, with both sides engaged in active combat and Iran’s missile stockpiles capable of reaching American bases across the region, the threat of a prolonged and devastating conflict looms large. The situation remains fluid, with international observers warning of potentially catastrophic consequences for the entire Middle East.
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