Trump Announces Combat Strikes Against Iran and Specifies Their Targets

SadaNews - U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday the beginning of "major combat operations" against Iran.

In a recorded speech, Trump said: "Our goal is to defend the American people by eliminating the imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime, which is a fierce system made up of cruel and dangerous individuals. Its hostile activities directly threaten the United States, our forces, our bases abroad, and our allies around the world."

He added: "For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted death to America and has waged a continuous bloody campaign against the United States, its forces, and innocent people in numerous countries. One of its first acts was to support the violent takeover of the American embassy in Tehran and the detention of dozens of American hostages for 444 days. In 1983, its agents carried out the bombing of the Marines barracks in Beirut that killed 241 American servicemen. In 2000, they were either aware of or perhaps complicit in the attack on the USS Cole."

Trump continued: "Iranian forces have killed and wounded hundreds of American soldiers in Iraq. Its militias have continued to launch countless attacks against our forces in the Middle East, and against our military and commercial ships in international waterways. It was widespread terrorism, and we will not tolerate it any longer."

He went on: "From Lebanon to Yemen, from Syria to Iraq, the regime has armed, trained, and funded terrorist militias that have flooded the land with blood. Its proxy Hamas was responsible for the October 7 attacks on Israel, killing more than a thousand civilians, including 46 Americans, and taking 12 of our citizens hostage."

Trump said: "Iran is the foremost sponsor of terrorism in the world and has recently killed tens of thousands of its citizens in the streets during their protests. It has been U.S. policy, especially under my administration, that this terrorist regime cannot possess a nuclear weapon; I repeat, it can never possess a nuclear weapon."

The U.S. president added: "That is why, in the ‘Midnight Hammer’ operation last June, we destroyed their nuclear program in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. After that strike, we warned them against resuming their malicious quest for nuclear weapons, and we repeatedly sought to make an agreement, but they refused, as they have for decades."

Trump continued: "Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and develop long-range missiles that could threaten our allies in Europe, our forces abroad, and perhaps American territory."

He remarked: "Imagine how things would be if this regime possessed a nuclear weapon. That is why the U.S. military is conducting a wide and ongoing operation to prevent this extremist dictatorship from threatening America and our security interests."

Trump stated: "We will destroy their missiles and missile-making capabilities entirely. We will eliminate their naval fleet. We will ensure that their militias cannot destabilize the region or the world or attack our forces."

He added: "We will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. It is a simple message: they will never possess a nuclear weapon."

Trump continued: "This regime will learn that no one challenges the strength of the U.S. military. I built and prepared our military during my first term, and there is no military in the world that matches its strength."

He went on: "My administration took every possible step to reduce risks to our forces, but the Iranian regime seeks to kill brave American heroes. We may lose lives, and there may be casualties, this happens in wars, but we do it for the future."

Trump said: "We pray for every soldier who risks his life to ensure that a nuclear Iran does not threaten our children."

He directed a message to the members of the Revolutionary Guard, armed forces, and Iranian police: "I say: surrender your weapons and you will receive full immunity, or face certain death."

He added: "And to the great Iranian people, I say: your hour of freedom has arrived. Stay in your homes, for the situation is dangerous. When we are done, you will take over. This may be your only opportunity for generations. For years you have asked for America's help and received none. Now you have a president ready to do so."

Trump continued: "America stands firmly by your side. This is the time to act. Do not waste this moment."