{"id":10091,"date":"2026-03-08T23:23:48","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T23:23:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/10091\/"},"modified":"2026-03-08T23:23:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T23:23:48","slug":"trump-says-us-has-launched-major-operation-against-iran-with-israel-calling-pre-emptive-attack-a-joint-effort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/10091\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump says US has launched ‘major operation’ against Iran, with Israel calling ‘pre-emptive’ attack a joint effort"},"content":{"rendered":"

US-Israeli air strikes on Iran have prompted a string of retaliatory attacks in the region and plunged global air travel into chaos.<\/p>\n

Israel launched the first strikes against Iran in the capital, Tehran, on Saturday morning, local time, near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.<\/p>\n

The US launched its own strikes shortly after as part of what its defence ministry dubbed Operation Epic Fury.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr Trump posted a video to his Truth Social media platform saying the US wanted to combat “threats” from the Iranian regime with what is has called Operation Epic Fury.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“A short time ago, the US military began major combat operations in Iran,” he said.<\/p>\n

\"Women<\/p>\n

People run for cover after explosions in Tehran.\u00a0 (Reuters: Majid Asgaripour\/West Asia News Agency)<\/p>\n

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that at least 40 people were killed in a strike on a girls’ school in the country’s south.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At least 45 others were wounded in the attack in Minab, in Iran’s Hormozgan province, IRNA reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has a base in the city.<\/p>\n

Mr Trump said Iran was 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”.<\/p>\n

“The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war, but we’re doing this, not for now. We’re doing this for the future,” Mr Trump said.<\/p>\n

He told Iranian police and other security forces to lay down their arms and be granted immunity or fight and face “certain death”, and he urged everyday civilians to rebel against the regime. \u00a0<\/p>\n

“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He warned Iranians to remain inside as “bombs will be dropping everywhere”.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Mr Trump for his “historic leadership”.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Our joint action will create the conditions for the courageous Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” Mr Netanyahu said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the strikes as “a pre-emptive attack against Iran to remove threats to the State of Israel”.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Retaliatory strikes underway<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it had struck several facilities in the region in retaliation, including the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Revolutionary Guard said it had also struck US bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and military targets in Israel.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

People are being urged to take shelter as explosions are heard across Israel.\u00a0 (AFP: Ahmad Gharabli)<\/p>\n

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had advised residents to “stay in protected spaces until official notice” after “an additional barrage of missiles was launched toward the State of Israel”, but said it was “identifying and intercepting threats”.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blasts have also been reported in Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The strikes have prompted protests across the world, including Tehran where people have taken to the streets to protest against the attacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Iranian demonstrators protest against the US-Israeli strikes in Tehran.\u00a0 (Reuters: Majid Asgaripour\/West Asia News Agency)<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, members of the Iranian diaspora in London and Berlin have turned out to protest against the Iranian regime.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flights suspended and airspace closed<\/p>\n

Iran and Israel have both closed their airspace in light of the attacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neighbouring Iraq and Jordan have also closed their airspace, while Dubai has suspended all flights operating from its international airport until further notice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more about the Iran war:<\/p>\n

Airlines across the world have announced flight suspensions as a result.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Russian Ministry of Transport also announced that Russian air carriers have suspended flights to Iran and Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Heavy<\/p>\n

There is heavy traffic in Tehran in the wake of the attacks. (Reuters: Majid Asgaripour\/West Asia News Agency)<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in a joint statement with Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, said Australia supported the US “acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon”.<\/p>\n

He said Australians were advised not to travel to Iran and to leave the country as soon as possible “if it is safe to do so”.<\/p>\n

“Our ability to provide consular assistance in Iran is extremely limited,” the statement said.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Smoke rises into the sky following blasts in Manama, Bahrain.\u00a0 (Reuters)<\/p>\n

Virgin Australia confirmed four Qatar Airways flights bound for Doha were turned around on Saturday night and were heading back to Australia.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Flights that have left Doha and are travelling to Australia are continuing as scheduled,” a Virgin spokesperson told the ABC.<\/p>\n

“The safety of our guests and crew is always our top priority.”<\/p>\n

\"Dark<\/p>\n

Israel has launched strikes on the Iranian capital, Tehran. (AP)<\/p>\n

Attack follows failed negotiations<\/p>\n

The attack against Iran pushes the Middle East into a renewed military confrontation and further dims hopes for a diplomatic solution to Tehran’s long-running nuclear dispute with the West.<\/p>\n

The attack, coming after Israel and Iran engaged in a 12-day air war last June, follows repeated US-Israeli warnings that they would strike again if Iran pressed ahead with its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.<\/p>\n

The US and Iran renewed negotiations in February in a bid to resolve the decades-long dispute through diplomacy and avert the threat of a military confrontation that could destabilise the region.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

An explosion is seen in the sea near Haifa after Iran launches missiles towards Israel.<\/p>\n

Israel, however, insisted that any US deal with Iran must include the dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, not just stopping the enrichment process, and lobbied Washington to include restrictions on Iran’s missile program in the talks.<\/p>\n

In his speech given shortly after the attack began, Mr Trump said it had “always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon”.<\/p>\n

Iran said it was prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear programme in exchange for lifting sanctions, but ruled out linking the issue to missiles.<\/p>\n

Tehran also said it would defend itself against any attack.<\/p>\n

Trump says of Iran, ‘sometimes you have to’ use force<\/a><\/p>\n

The US has amassed a huge military presence in the region after the president threatened military action if Tehran refused to forswear nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n

It warned neighbouring countries hosting US troops that it would retaliate against American bases if Washington struck Iran.<\/p>\n

In June, the US joined an Israeli military campaign against Iranian nuclear installations, in the most direct American military action ever against the Islamic Republic.<\/p>\n

Tehran retaliated by launching missiles toward the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US base in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

Western powers have warned that Iran’s ballistic missile project threatens regional stability and could deliver nuclear weapons if developed. Tehran denies seeking atomic bombs.<\/p>\n

ABC\/Reuters\/AP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"US-Israeli air strikes on Iran have prompted a string of retaliatory attacks in the region and plunged global…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10092,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[5885,1985,34,1258,269,69,51],"class_list":{"0":"post-10091","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tehran","8":"tag-blast","9":"tag-explosion","10":"tag-iran","11":"tag-nuclear","12":"tag-nuclear-weapons","13":"tag-tehran","14":"tag-united-states"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@iran\/116196138331653874","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10091","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10091"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10091\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}