US, Israel launch attack on Iran as Trump announces 'major combat operations'

US, Israel launch attack on Iran as Trump announces 'major combat operations'

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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday published a video of its airstrike on missile launchers in western Iran as Israel and the U.S. take part in a joint effort against Tehran.

"Within the ‘Roaring Lion’ operation, the IDF struck with the direction of IDF intelligence, hundreds of Iranian military targets, including missile launchers in western Iran," the IDF's statement read.

"Alongside the IAF’s strikes in Iran, the Aerial Defense Array is currently identifying and intercepting threats fired from Iran toward the State of Israel," the IDF added.

Iran speaks out as US, Israel carry out Operation Epic Fury

Iran's Foreign Ministry blasted the U.S. and Israel, which began carrying out Operation Epic Fury on Saturday.

"Our sacred and beloved homeland, proud and civilization-making Iran, has once again been subjected to criminal military aggression by the #UnitedStates and the #ZionistRegime," Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on X.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry called the attacks by the U.S. and Israel "a gross violation of Iran’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty."

Iran also called on the United Nations and the Security Council, where the U.S. has veto power, to act as the attacks unfold. Tehran claimed that the attacks by the U.S. and Israel, which it calls "the Zionist regime" were carried out in violation of the U.N. Charter.

"All member states of the United Nations, especially regional and Islamic countries, members of the Non-Aligned Movement, and all states that feel responsible for international peace and security, are expected to firmly condemn this act of aggression and take urgent and collective action to confront it, which has undoubtedly exposed the peace and security of the region and the world to an unprecedented threat," Iran's Foreign Ministry said.

WHAT TO KNOW

• President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday that the U.S. is carrying out "major combat operations in Iran." In a video posted to Truth Social, Trump said the objective is to defend Americans by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, describing it as "a vicious group of very hard, terrible people."

• In his message, Trump urged the Iranian regime to "lay down" its weapons or "face certain death." Calling it their "only chance for generations," Trump urged the people of Iran to "take over your government" after the operation.

• The United States military attack against the Iran is named "Operation Epic Fury." Israel, which coordinated the daytime morning blitz with the U.S., announced the Jewish State's mission as “Operation Roaring Lion."

• The joint military operation is expected to carry on for days. Officials tell Fox News that Israel is targeting Iranian leadership, while the U.S. is targeting military targets and ballistic missile sites that pose an "imminent threat."

  
  

  Iran retaliates with missiles strikes at US facilities in multiple countries

  Iran has started retaliating after the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury early Saturday morning.

  Fox News' Jennifer Griffin reported that approximately 40 missiles had landed in Israel. 

  Meanwhile, the U.S. military in Iraq intercepted at least one missile targeting U.S. facilities. Additionally, Iran appeared to hit the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, but no casualties were reported and it appeared as though the regime struck an empty warehouse.

  Iran also launched missiles at Saudi Arabia and Jordan, where the U.S. has squadrons of advanced fighter jets, Griffin reported. This led to condemnations from Jordan, the U.A.E. and others.

  Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi said on X that he was "dismayed" by the attacks after her recently mediated indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran.

  "I am dismayed. Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined. Neither the interests of the United States nor the cause of global peace are well served by this. And I pray for the innocents who will suffer. I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war," the foreign minister said.

  
  

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Saudi Arabia SLAMS “Brutal Iranian Aggression” Against Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, and Kuwait — Gulf States Vow FULL RIGHT to Retaliate After Tehran’s Attack

Saudi Arabia SLAMS “Brutal Iranian Aggression” Against Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, and Kuwait — Gulf States Vow FULL RIGHT to Retaliate After Tehran’s Attack

Jim Hᴏft

A major geopolitical flashpoint erupted across the Middle East on Saturday after Iran launched missile and drone attacks targeting multiple Gulf nations, prompting Saudi Arabia to issue a blistering condemnation of what it described as “brutal Iranian aggression.”

Saudi officials made it clear that Riyadh is standing in full solidarity with the nations targeted in Saturday’s coordinated Iranian assault.

In its statement, the Kingdom warned that the attacks represent blatant violations of international law and expressed its readiness to assist its regional allies with “all its capabilities.”

Jordanian forces also reportedly intercepted ballistic missiles entering its airspace, as regional air defense systems were activated amid fears of a broader regional war.

In the UAE, air defense systems intercepted several incoming ballistic missiles, though falling debris reportedly killed one civilian in Abu Dhabi and caused property damage in a residential area, according to The Guardian.

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Iran Launches Retaliatory Missile Strikes on Israel After Joint U.S.–Israeli Attack on Tehran — Also Targets U.S. Base in Bahrain with Missile Attack

Iran Launches Retaliatory Missile Strikes on Israel After Joint U.S.–Israeli Attack on Tehran — Also Targets U.S. Base in Bahrain with Missile Attack

Jim Hᴏft

UPDATE: The Middle East erupted into chaos Saturday after Iran launched a retaliatory missile strike targeting a major U.S. military installation in Bahrain.

According to multiple breaking reports, ballistic missiles struck near facilities associated with the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, headquartered in the island kingdom of Bahrain — a critical hub for American naval operations in the Persian Gulf.

Bahrain Ambassador to the U.S., Abdulla R. Al-Khalifa, wrote on X: “Bahrain confirms attacks on sites within the Kingdom launched from outside its territory, a blatant violation of sovereignty. Authorities activated emergency plans. We condemn the attacks & reserves the right to respond in coordination w/ allies.”

Bahrain News Agency reported:

The National Communication Centre (NCC) confirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain had been subjected to external attacks targeting sites and installations within its borders. These actions constituted a flagrant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and security.

The security and military authorities had immediately activated established emergency protocols and were taking all necessary operational measures on the ground.

The NCC conveyed the Government of Bahrain’s strongest condemnation of these treacherous attacks, which posed a direct threat to the Kingdom’s security and the safety of its citizens and residents.

The Government affirmed its full right to respond and to take all necessary measures to defend its national security and safeguard its sovereignty, in coordination with its allies and partners.

Further details regarding military developments would be released by the authorities in due course, consistent with the requirements of national interest and security.

The National Communication Centre called upon the public to exercise vigilance and to rely exclusively on official sources for information. The NCC urged all to refrain from circulating rumours or unverified reports, in order to uphold public security and preserve national stability.

Iranian missile flies straight through air defenses and hits the U.S. Navy's 5th fleet HQ in Bahrain.

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President Trump Releases Fiery Late-Night Statement on Iran as U.S. Begins “Major Combat Operations”

BREAKING: President Trump Releases Fiery Late-Night Statement on Iran as U.S. Begins “Major Combat Operations”

Jim Hᴏft

President Donald J. Trump released a statement early Saturday morning following reports that the United States has begun what he described as “major combat operations in Iran” after Israeli forces launched pre-emptive strikes on Iranian targets overnight.

The Commander-in-Chief confirmed that American forces are now engaged in what he described as a “massive and ongoing operation” aimed at neutralizing the Iranian regime’s ability to threaten U.S. troops, American allies, and the homeland itself.

President Trump outlined a decades-long pattern of Iranian aggression, reminding Americans that the regime has openly chanted “Death to America” since its inception in 1979 while backing terrorist attacks that have killed U.S. service members across the Middle East.

He specifically cited:

• The 1979 U.S. Embassy hostage crisis in Tehran, where dozens of Americans were held captive for 444 days
• The 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S. military personnel
• Iranian-backed militias responsible for killing and maiming hundreds of American troops in Iraq
• Continued proxy attacks against U.S. forces and commercial vessels in Middle Eastern shipping lanes

From Lebanon and Syria to Iraq and Yemen, the President warned that Tehran has spent decades funding and training terrorist militias responsible for destabilizing the region and spilling innocent blood.

Trump also pointed to Iran’s role in backing Hamas, which carried out the brutal October 7 attacks on Israel that killed more than 1,000 civilians, including dozens of Americans, and resulted in U.S. citizens being taken hostage.

Trump issued a direct appeal to the Iranian people, urging them to reclaim control of their nation from the country’s ruling Islamic regime.

President Trump:
A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime—a vicious group of very hard, terrible people—whose menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.

For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted “Death to America” and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops, and innocent people in many, many countries. Among the regime’s very first acts was backing a violent takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, holding dozens of American hostages for 444 days.

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Will China Come To Iran's Rescue?

Will China Come To Iran's Rescue?

Middle East Eye

As tensions between Iran and the US-Israeli alliance approach a critical juncture, a question echoes through global capitals, newsrooms and policy circles: will China come to Iran’s rescue? And if so, what would that assistance look like

The answer defies the binary expectations of traditional military alliances. China is unlikely to dispatch troops or engage directly in any conflict, but to interpret this as passivity would be to misread the nature of 21st-century great power competition. 

China's support for Iran is real, multifaceted, and in some ways more sustainable than military intervention; it just operates on a different strategic wavelength.

At the UN Security Council, China has consistently deployed its most potent weapon: the veto-wielding power of principle. In an emergency meeting last month, Chinese Ambassador Sun Lei delivered a stark message to Washington: "The use of force can never solve problems. It will only make them more complex and intractable. Any military adventurism would only push the region toward an unpredictable abyss."

This is not empty rhetoric. China’s official position explicitly supports "safeguarding Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity”, while opposing “the threat or use of force in international relations”. 

By anchoring its stance in the UN Charter and international law, China provides Tehran with something invaluable: legitimacy on the world stage, and a powerful counter-narrative to western pressure.

Strategic alignment

The diplomatic calculus shifted fundamentally when Iran was formally approved in 2021 as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), joining China, Russia and Central Asian nations. This was followed by Tehran’s inclusion in the Brics bloc. 

These are not military pacts, but they create something perhaps more enduring: a framework for permanent consultation and strategic alignment.

Last year, Chinese, Russian and Iranian diplomats met in Beijing and agreed to “strengthen coordination” within international organizations such as Brics and the SCO. This institutional embrace means that any aggression against Iran is now implicitly an issue for the world's most powerful counterweights to US hegemony. 

While China avoids direct confrontation, it has not shied away from visible military cooperation. 

Earlier this month, Russia, China and Iran deployed naval vessels for joint security exercises in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. A Russian presidential aide framed these drills in the context of building a “multipolar world order in the oceans” to counter western hegemony.

More tangibly, news has emerged of significant defense cooperation. Middle East Eye reported last year that Iran had received Chinese-made surface-to-air missile batteries to rebuild its air defense capabilities, part of an oil-for-weapons deal that allowed Tehran to bypass US sanctions. 

Some reports have also suggested that Iran may receive advanced J-20 fifth-generation fighter jets, J-10C aircraft, and HQ-9 air defense systems, although there has been no official confirmation.

The symbolism is as striking as the substance. During Iran’s Air Force Day celebrations this month, a Chinese military attache presented a model of the J-20 stealth fighter to an Iranian air force commander - a gesture widely interpreted as signalling a new chapter in defence engagement between the two nations.

Perhaps China’s most consequential support remains invisible on the battlefield, but visible in Iran's national accounts. Despite US sanctions and pressure, China remains Iran’s top energy partner, with approximately 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports now directed to Chinese buyers

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