Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on sites across Iran on Saturday morning, following weeks of US military build-up in the region. Iranian media reported that the Revolutionary Guard responded with strikes on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. The assault produced plumes of smoke in downtown Tehran near key government buildings.
Israel and the United States began a joint military operation against Iran on Saturday morning, with Israel announcing strikes shortly after 8 am. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the attack as a "preemptive" operation to remove threats to Israel's security, declaring an immediate nationwide state of emergency. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the strikes aimed to eliminate an "existential threat" from Iran, thanking US President Donald Trump for his support. Reports indicated the operation was planned months in advance and could last several days.
Trump confirmed in a video on Truth Social that the United States had "begun major combat operations" in Iran, calling the US-Israeli campaign "massive and ongoing" to destroy Iran's missile capabilities, dismantle its missile industry, and neutralize its naval forces. He urged the Iranian people to seize their government after the operation ends, saying: "When we are finished, take over your government," adding that this would be "probably your only chance for generations."
The strikes followed months of indirect negotiations between the US and Iran, during which the Trump administration repeatedly threatened to attack Iranian targets unless Tehran committed to ending its nuclear program. The third round of talks in Geneva occurred on Thursday without a deal, though Oman noted significant progress. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi stated that Iran had committed to not stockpiling weapons-grade enriched uranium, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi affirmed that Iran would never develop a nuclear weapon but would not forgo its right to peaceful nuclear technology.
Media reported strikes in Tehran, Qom (site of the Fordow nuclear facility), Kermanshah, Isfahan, and Karaj. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei left Tehran for a secure location, according to Reuters. Iran responded about three hours later with strikes on US bases in the Gulf, where air defenses intercepted missiles in Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE. In Israel, the Iron Dome was deployed to intercept missiles around Haifa.
This comes after a 12-day war last year and months of major US military build-up in the region, the largest since the 2003 Iraq invasion. US sanctions have steadily declined Iran's economy, sparking widespread protests at the end of 2025 that faced deadly repression.
