MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US and Israel launch strikes on Iran; Trump calls them a “massive” operation as Tehran vows retaliation

The Pentagon named the campaign “OPERATION EPIC FURY,” and a U.S. official cited by Reuters said the strikes are expected to continue for several days.

The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, reigniting a regional conflict and further dimming hopes for diplomacy over Tehran’s nuclear program. Explosions were reported in Tehran as Israel moved to emergency measures and shut its airspace to civilian flights.

President Donald Trump confirmed “major combat operations,” saying the campaign aims to destroy Iranian military capabilities and prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. In a video posted on Truth Social, he warned U.S. casualties were possible: “The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost… but we’re doing this for the future.”

The Pentagon named the campaign “OPERATION EPIC FURY,” and a U.S. official cited by Reuters said the strikes are expected to continue for several days.

According to Israeli officials and sources cited by Reuters, the first wave mainly targeted Iranian officials. One Israeli official said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were among the targets, though the outcome was unclear; a separate source said Khamenei had been moved to a secure location outside Tehran.

Iran said it launched a first wave of missiles and drones toward Israel and warned that U.S. bases and interests across the region were within reach, Reuters reported. Bahrain said a U.S. Fifth Fleet support facility came under missile attack, while witnesses reported blasts in Abu Dhabi and other Gulf locations; Qatar said it intercepted missiles targeting the country.

In his statement, Trump urged Iranians to “take over your government” once the operation ends. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a similar note, saying the joint attack would “create the conditions” for the “brave Iranian people” to take their destiny into their own hands and calling on Iranians to “remove the yoke of tyranny.”

Authorities had not released a verified casualty or damage assessment early Saturday, as uncertainty grew over the operation’s duration and the scope of Iran’s retaliation.