US & Israel Launch Major Strikes on Iran
The U.S. and Israel have launched coordinated strikes on Iran, with explosions reported in Tehran. President Trump announced "major combat operations" and publicly urged Iranians to "take over your government." The conflict appears to be spreading, with coordinated explosions also reported in the commercial hubs of Dubai and Riyadh.
The current military action, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" by the U.S. military, reportedly involves a multi-day plan that was prepared for months. An Israeli military official stated the offensive has more ambitious aims than the previous conflict in June of last year. Initial targets included the Tehran compound of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which satellite imagery shows has been heavily damaged. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for retaliatory missile strikes on U.S. military bases across the Gulf. Targets included Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, and the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. One person was killed in the UAE from shrapnel, and an Iranian missile caused "significant damage" to a base in Kuwait that hosts Italian troops. This escalation follows a period of heightened tension and indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear program. The strikes occurred just two days after high-stakes talks in Geneva, mediated by Oman, ended without a breakthrough. The U.S. had been increasing its military presence in the region for weeks, moving over a dozen naval ships and aircraft toward the Middle East. President Trump's call for Iranians to "take over your government" was part of an eight-minute video in which he also said the U.S. would "raze their missile industry to the ground" and "annihilate their navy." In a direct message to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, he offered immunity if they lay down their arms, or they would "face certain death." International reaction has been swift, with many world leaders urging de-escalation. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen called for “maximum restraint,” while Russia’s foreign ministry condemned the strikes, stating, "Washington and Tel Aviv have once again embarked on a perilous course." Oman's foreign minister, who had been mediating talks, expressed dismay, saying, "Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined." The strikes mark the second major military confrontation between the U.S., Israel, and Iran in less than a year. A previous 12-day conflict in June 2025 involved Israeli and subsequent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which was followed by Iranian retaliatory missile attacks on U.S. bases. Initial reports from Iranian state-run media claim at least 40 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a girls' elementary school in Minab, a city that hosts an IRGC base. In Tehran, smoke was seen rising from the district that includes the presidential palace and other key government buildings. The attacks have caused significant disruption to civilian life and international travel. Iran and at least seven other countries, including Israel, Jordan, and Qatar, have closed their airspace. In Israel, schools and workplaces in Jerusalem were ordered closed until Monday as sirens sounded across the country.
