U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday that American forces launched “major combat operations” against Iran, as Tehran fired ballistic missiles at regional neighbours.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” Trump said in a Truth Social video.
U.S. air and naval strikes hit Tehran facilities, Reuters reported, while Israel attacked the capital, sparking smoke over the centre. Explosions were heard in Jerusalem and Dubai, where CNBC’s Joan Muwahed reported two blasts in the UAE.
Qatar denounced the incursion. “The State of Qatar expresses its strong condemnation of the targeting of Qatari territory with Iranian ballistic missiles, considering it a flagrant violation of its national sovereignty,” its Ministry of Defence said.
The UAE confirmed intercepts. “The Ministry of Defense announced that the country was subjected today to a blatant attack by Iranian ballistic missiles, which was dealt with by the UAE air defenses with high efficiency and a number of missiles were successfully intercepted,” it stated.
Israel’s Defence Forces tracked launches. “Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat. In the past few minutes, the Home Front Command has sent a precautionary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas,” they posted.
Bahrain reported a hit on the U.S. Fifth Fleet site. Its U.S. embassy warned of an “imminent drone/missile attack” and urged citizens “to shelter in place, review security plans in the event of an attack, and to stay alert in case of additional future attacks.” Abu Dhabi’s U.S. mission issued a similar alert.
“In Operation Midnight Hammer last June, we obliterated the regime’s nuclear program at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. After that attack, we warned them never to resume their malicious pursuit of nuclear weapons, and we sought repeatedly to make a deal,” Trump said.
“But Iran refused. Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing the 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,” he added.
Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s “historic leadership,” insisting Iran “must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons that would enable it to threaten all of humanity.”
Iran condemned the strikes as sovereignty violations. Emmanuel Macron warned of “grave consequences.”
“The ongoing escalation is dangerous for all. It must stop. The Iranian regime must understand that it now has no other option but to engage in good faith in negotiations to end its nuclear and ballistic programs,” he said.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the strikes “particularly reprehensible” under negotiation cover. Oil hit six-month highs, with Iran’s Strait of Hormuz role risking global supply disruptions.