“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” US President Donald Trump told the Iranian people in a prerecorded message on Saturday following the US-Israel attack on the Iranian regime.
Trump announced the start of “Operation Epic Fury” in an approximately eight-minute video posted to Truth Social, calling it “major combat operations” aimed at dismantling Iran’s missile infrastructure and naval capabilities and preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Trump also warned that US casualties were possible, even as he said the military would seek to limit risk to American forces.
In the same message, he appealed directly to Iranians, urging them to “take over” their government after the operation ends, language that Democrats and some Republicans seized on as evidence the administration was courting regime change without explaining the endgame.
“I want a safe nation, and that’s what we’re going to have,” the president said.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” he added. “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump also sent a message to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: “You should lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death.”
The US president said that the objective was to “destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” adding that “we are going to annihilate their navy.”
He also explained that the US has taken every possible step to minimize the risk to US personnel in the region.
The United States was involved and coordinated with Israel in its preemptive attack on Iran on Saturday morning, with the Department of Defense calling it Operation Epic Fury.
The strikes were against targets that posed a threat to Israel and the region, the source said. Strikes are likely to continue as the day progresses and are being carried out by air and sea, a US official told Reuters.
Later on Saturday evening, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that it had carried out the operation in accordance with Trump’s orders.
“Following the initial wave of US and partner strikes, CENTCOM forces successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks. There have been no reports of US casualties or combat-related injuries. Damage to US installations was minimal and has not impacted operations,” a CENTCOM statement read.
“The president ordered bold action, and our brave soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, guardians, and coast guardsmen are answering the call,” said CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper.
Iranian media reported strikes targeting the IRGC Intelligence Directorate, as well as hits in central Tehran. The country has closed its airspace in response to the strikes. A Reuters report explained that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is not in Tehran and has been transferred to a "secure location," an Iranian official confirmed.
An Israeli security official told Reuters that the operation was planned for months and its timing was set several weeks ago.
Israel strikes Iran to 'remove threats,' issues nationwide alert
Sources in the defense establishment stated one of the objectives of the strikes will be to "remove threats to the Israeli home front, with an emphasis on missile launchers and unmanned aerial vehicle bases."
At the time of the attack, the IDF sent a national warning to all citizens to stay near protected spaces. "This is a proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the State of Israel," the IDF said.
Shortly after 4 p.m., the IDF said it had completed a broad strike on the strategic Defense system of the Iranian regime, noting that it successfully struck an advanced air defense system.
"One of the strikes was directed toward an advanced SA-65 aerial defense system located in the Kermanshah area in western Iran," the IDF said.
Reuters contributed to this report.