Trump announces 'major combat operations' in Iran

President Donald Trump announced early Saturday that the United States military has begun “major combat operations” in Iran as explosions were heard in the capital, Tehran.

In an eight-minute video posted to Truth Social, Trump described the campaign as a response to Iran’s decades-long hostility.

“We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground … we are going to annihilate their navy… and we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon,” he said

Shortly before Trump's statement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that his country was carrying out strikes in Iran, announcing a nationwide state of emergency as the country braced for retaliation. Air raid sirens sounded across Israel, with the military warning residents to prepare for the possibility of incoming missile fire.

Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported that several explosions were heard in downtown Tehran, without providing further details. The Fars news agency said a number of missiles struck the Republic area of the capital.

The strikes came as the region was already on edge following days of escalating warnings and visible military preparations. As the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford neared Israel on Friday, a growing number of countries issued evacuation warnings. The Ford’s deployment is part of a wider US naval and air buildup that includes stealth fighter jets and missile-defense-equipped destroyers.

Nationwide protests rocked Iran in late December and January, and Iran’s security forces responded with lethal force. According to a Feb. 15 report by the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 7,015 people have been killed since the demonstrations began. At the height of the unrest, President Donald Trump said the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities continued killing protesters.

Iran has repeatedly threatened retaliation should the US take military action. Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would target US bases in the region if its territory were attacked.