US and Israel launch a major attack on Iran and Trump urges Iranians to 'take over your government'

The United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, February 28, 2026, with President Donald Trump calling on Iranian citizens to 'seize control of your destiny' and rise up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979, as the coordinated military operation targeted areas around Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's offices and other locations nationwide. Trump announced in a video that 'major combat operations' were underway, telling Iranians: 'When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed this sentiment, stating their joint operation would create conditions for Iranians to 'take their fate into their own hands.' The strikes opened a new chapter in U.S. intervention in Iran and marked the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has used military force against the Islamic Republic. The attack followed weeks of escalating tensions as American warships moved into the region, with Trump citing Iran's continued nuclear development as justification. The strikes hit military targets, government symbols, and intelligence facilities across Iran, with Iranian media reporting explosions nationwide and smoke visible from the capital. Authorities shut down roads to Khamenei's compound in Tehran as multiple blasts rang out, though it remained unclear whether the 86-year-old Supreme Leader was in his offices at the time. Trump acknowledged potential American casualties, stating 'that often happens in war,' despite his previous 'America First' platform that promised to avoid 'forever wars.' Iran responded swiftly by launching missiles and drones targeting Israel, followed by strikes on U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. The United Arab Emirates and Iraq shut down their airspace amid the escalating conflict. Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a defiant statement declaring the country 'will not hesitate' in its response, adding that 'the time has come to defend the homeland and confront the enemy's military assault.' Casualties were reported on both sides, with five students killed at a girls' school in southern Iran during the strikes, and one person killed by shrapnel from an Iranian missile attack on the UAE capital. The attacks could have significant global implications, particularly if Iran disrupts oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 14 million barrels of oil passed daily in 2025.