US and Israel Launch Strikes on Iran, Trump Calls It 'Massive and Ongoing'

The United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iran early Saturday, with President Donald Trump describing it in a video statement as "a massive and ongoing operation" aimed at eliminating threats from the Iranian regime and curbing its nuclear program.

The Details: U.S. officials have dubbed the campaign Operation Epic Fury, a joint effort targeting Iranian military and security sites. Israel focused on senior political and military leaders, while the United States targeted Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear infrastructure, according to news sources. Explosions were reported in Tehran, Iran, with smoke rising over parts of the capital. Iranian state media reported casualties, though details remain limited. Multiple outlets cited IRNA's report that at least 40 people were killed at a girls' school in southern Iran, a figure that has not been independently confirmed. Meanwhile, Iran launched retaliatory drone attacks across the Middle East following the strikes.

Iranian retaliation: Israel declared a state of emergency after Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the operation, called "Truthful Promise 4," targeted Israeli and American assets. Iran fired dozens of ballistic missiles and attack drones toward Israel, with many intercepted by Israeli air defenses, though explosions were reported in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Iranian officials also said they targeted major U.S. installations in the Gulf, a claim that has not been independently verified.

Trump's video address: In a video statement posted on Truth Social Saturday, Trump said, "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people." He added: "Iran is the world's No. 1 state sponsor of terror. They can never have a nuclear weapon."

Trump issued an ultimatum to the Iranian military and security forces, telling them to "lay down your weapons" or face "certain death." Addressing the possibility of casualties, Trump said, "My administration is taking every possible step to minimize the risk to U.S. personnel in the region. Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime seeks to kill… we may have casualties, that often happens in war."

How The Media Covered It: Media coverage of the strikes was largely consistent across the political spectrum. The National Review (Lean Right) emphasized Trump's vow to "destroy," "annihilate" and stop Iran from "ever" obtaining a nuclear weapon, giving its lead a more dramatic tone. In a separate report, the outlet included an image gallery showing explosions and burned vehicles in Tehran, plus smoke near Israel from Iran's retaliatory strikes. The Associated Press (Lean Left) noted that Trump "swept into office on an 'America First' platform and vowed to keep out of 'forever wars,'" underscoring a possible contrast with current actions. The outlet included comments from Trump, Netanyahu, Iran's Foreign Ministry, regional officials and human rights groups.

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