In the early morning hours of February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched a joint, large-scale operation against Iran.
In a speech announcing the operation, President Trump said, “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people. [The regime’s] menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.”
The attack comes after days of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program. It also follows weeks of large-scale protests across the country against Tehran’s Islamist regime. The protests were brutally suppressed by the government; estimates place the number of dead in the thousands.
American forces had been building up in the region for the past weeks. The Gerald Ford carrier strike group arrived there this week to join the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group already in the region. It was estimated that one third of the Navy’s surface vessels had deploying for potential operations against Iran.
“For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted ‘Death to America’ and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder targeting the United States, our troops, and the innocent people in many, many countries,” Trump said in his speech.
“Iran is the world’s number one state sponsor of terror, and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested,” Trump added and blamed Tehran for regional terrorist networks.
According to Trump, following Operation Midnight Hammer last June, which targeted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, Tehran did not give up its ambitions to create a nuclear weapon.
“Just imagine how emboldened this regime would be if they ever had and actually were armed with nuclear weapons as a means to deliver their message,” he said.
According to an unnamed U.S. official quoted by Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin, Israel is targeting Iranian leadership, whereas the U.S. is targeting Iranian military targets that pose “an imminent threat.” Nevertheless, surfaced footage indicates that this compartmentalization might not be absolute.
Strikes have been reported in several Iranian cities, including Tehran. Footage has surfaced of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, installations being hit as well as air defense systems.
Capitation strikes against Iran’s military, political, and religious leadership are also taking place with unconfirmed reports stating that the country’s Defense Minister Amir Hatami and Mohammad Pakpour the commander of IRGC have been killed. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian have also been targeted, according to Fox News. Unverified satellite imagery reveals extensive damage to Khamenei’s compound.
“We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally, again, obliterated. We are going to annihilate their navy. We are going to ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces, and no longer use their IEDs – or roadside bombs, as they are sometimes called – to so gravely wound and kill thousands and thousands of people, including many Americans.”
“And we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. It’s a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said in his speech.
Iran strikes back
Iran launched what it calls “Operation True Promise 4” in retaliation and has been responding with missile and drone strikes against Israel and American military installations across the region.
So far, Iranian attacks have been reported in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Several of these strikes have been reportedly against American military installations.
American and allied air defense systems are engaging the targets.
A video has been released showing an Iranian missile striking against the headquarters of the Navy’s 5th Fleet at Naval Support Activity in Bahrain. The headquarters had been previously evacuated.
Large swaths of southern and northern Israel are already in high alert. Videos are surfacing of Israeli air defenses shooting down incoming Iranian munitions.
Israeli officials have said that strikes against Iran could last several days.
“We pray for every service member as they selflessly risk their lives to ensure that Americans and our children will never be threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran.”
“We ask God to protect all of our heroes in harm’s way, and we trust that with His help, the men and women of the armed forces will prevail.
“We have the greatest in the world, and they will prevail,” President Trump said.
The American president offered completely immunity to Iranian military and IRGC troops and the country’s police forces if they surrender; he threatened them with “certain death” if they do not.
He called on the Iranian people to overthrow the country’s government.
“Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere,” Trump added.
“In these sensitive hours and days, more than ever we must remain focused on our ultimate goal: reclaiming Iran,” Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s last Shah, who was deposed by the Iranian Revolution which brought the Islamists in power in 1979, said in a released statement.
Feature Image: American President Trump during his speech announcing the operation against Iran. (X)
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