“The United States’ military began major combat operations in Iran,” Trump said in a video message posted on his social media site while he spent the weekend at his Florida golf club. “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
“We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally -- again -- obliterated. We’re going to annihilate their navy,” Trump said.
He offered the military there “immunity” or “certain death” and told Iranians the “hour of your freedom is at hand.”
The attacks came after US President Donald Trump expressed frustration at Iran’s stance in negotiations over its nuclear and missile programmes.
Iranian state television on Saturday confirmed what it described as an “aerial aggression by the Zionist regime” on the country, following a series of blasts in Tehran. It also reported that President Pezeshkian was “safe and sound” and the Fars news agency said “seven missile impacts were reported in the Keshvardoost and Pasteur districts” of Tehran, where the residence of supreme guide Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is located.
“I saw with my own eyes two Tomahawk missiles flying horizontally toward targets,” an office worker told AFP on condition of anonymity. “At first we heard a dull noise and thought it was a fighter jet.”
In Tehran, AFP journalists heard blasts and saw two large columns of smoke rising over the city centre. The health ministry said ambulances had been dispatched but there was no immediate confirmation of casualties.
Iran, Iraq and Israel all closed their airspaces to civilian traffic once the strikes were underway.
AFP journalists heard several blasts over Jerusalem on Saturday following air raid sirens in the city, after the Israeli military said it had detected multiple barrages of missiles launched from Iran.
“An additional barrage of missiles was launched towards the State of Israel. The public is requested to continue to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command, the public is requested to stay in protected spaces until official notice,” the military said in a statement.
Emergency sirens also went off in Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, the interior ministry said on Saturday following US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
“The siren has been sounded due to a hazard,” said an interior ministry alert sent to residents’ mobile phones. AFP correspondents in Manama also reported hearing the siren.
The US embassies in Qatar and Bahrain told their staff to seek shelter Saturday and advised US citizens to do the same after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
The embassies said in two separate statements they were “implementing a shelter-in-place for all personnel. We recommend all Americans do the same until further notice,” and urged US citizens to “find a secure location within your residence or another safe building”.
Meanwhile, the Jerusalem municipality ordered schools and workplaces to close on Saturday after Israel launched strikes on arch-foe Iran, saying the closure would be in effect until 1800 GMT on Monday.
“In accordance with the assessment of the situation by the Home Front Command and the launch of a preemptive strike against Iran, it has been decided to change the guidelines and transition from full activity to essential activity throughout the country,” it said in a statement.
“There will be no educational activities, no gatherings, and no going to work, except for workers defined as essential. This policy is in effect from Saturday (2/28) at 8:00 am (0600 GMT) until Monday (3/2) at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT)”.
Israel’s main opposition leader, Yair Lapid, vowed to “stand together” with the ruling government and the military, after Israel launched strikes on arch-foe Iran on Saturday.
“In moments like these we stand together -- and we win together. There is no coalition and no opposition, only one people and one IDF, with all of us behind them,” Lapid posted on X.
Trump in his State of the Union address Tuesday alleged Iran was developing missiles that could strike the United States.
Rubio later said it would be a “very big problem” for Iran if it does not discuss its missiles. Iran has insisted that the ongoing talks focus on the nuclear issue.
Increasing pressure, Rubio on Friday designated Iran a state sponsor of wrongful detentions, a new blacklist, over jailings of US citizens.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that “success in this path requires seriousness and realism from the other side and avoidance of any miscalculation and excessive demands”.
The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said it would hold technical discussions with Iran on Monday.
The agency called on Iran to cooperate with it “constructively,” according to a confidential report seen by AFP.
This is a developing story, more information to follow.
