Trump announces 'major combat operations' in Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States military had begun 'major combat operations' in Iran on February 28, 2026, with explosions reported in Tehran and air raid sirens sounding across Israel, amid weeks of escalating tensions and heightened U.S. military presence in the region following Iran's rejection of opportunities to renounce its nuclear ambitions. In a video posted to his Truth Social account, Trump declared, 'A short time ago the United States military began major combat operations in Iran,' explaining that the objective was 'to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people.' He claimed that Iran's 'menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas and our allies throughout the world.' Trump stated that the U.S. had 'sought repeatedly to make a deal' but Iran 'rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions,' vowing to 'destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.' He issued a direct warning to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to 'lay down your arms… or you will face certain death,' while telling the Iranian people that 'your hour of freedom is at hand… when we are finished take over your government, it will be yours to take.' In Israel, Defense Minister Israel Katz described the operation as a preemptive action aimed at neutralizing threats against Israel, stating, 'As a result, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future.' A 48-hour state of emergency has been declared nationwide, with the Israeli Defense Forces alerting the public to prepare for the possibility of missiles being launched toward Israel. Air raid sirens sounded across Israel at approximately 8:15 a.m. local time, warning civilians to prepare to enter bomb shelters. Israel has closed its airspace to all passenger flights, and civil defense protocols have been activated as regional military forces remain on high alert. Iranian government media reported rocket fire in parts of the capital, Tehran, with state television broadcasting footage showing smoke rising after a blast in the city. The extent of the damage and potential casualties has not yet been confirmed. The strike follows weeks of speculation about potential military action against Iran, particularly amid a significant U.S. military buildup in the Middle East. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.