The United States and Israel have launched coordinated strikes on Iran, opening what international media describe as a new and potentially protracted conflict in the Middle East. The operation, announced on Saturday, marks one of the most direct military confrontations between Tehran and its long-time adversaries in recent years, sharply escalating tensions across the region.
According to international media reports, the Pentagon confirmed that the U.S. campaign was named “Operation Epic Fury,” with American forces initiating air and sea strikes against targets inside Iran. Two U.S. officials, speaking anonymously to Reuters, said the scope of the operation was not immediately clear but indicated that the campaign could extend over several days.
Iran responded swiftly by launching missiles toward Israel, the Israeli military said, as sirens sounded across several areas and authorities moved to prepare the public for further escalation. Iranian officials, cited by international media, warned of what they described as a crushing retaliation against both American and Israeli interests.
In a video message published on social media, President Donald Trump framed the strikes as a necessary step to eliminate what he called imminent threats from the Iranian regime. He referenced decades of hostility between Washington and Tehran, including the 1979 U.S. embassy hostage crisis, and reiterated his pledge to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Trump said the operation was “massive and ongoing,” warning that Iran’s ballistic missile programme posed a direct threat to the United States. He also addressed the Iranian public directly, urging them to remain sheltered and suggesting that the military pressure could present an opportunity for political change inside the country.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the joint assault as a move that would create conditions for Iranians to “take their destiny into their own hands.” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the strikes were pre-emptive and aimed at neutralising threats to Israel, as the country closed schools, restricted workplaces to essential sectors, and shut its airspace to civilian flights.
The attack comes after months of heightened tensions and follows a 12-day air war between Israel and Iran in June, according to international media coverage. Israeli officials said the operation had been planned in coordination with Washington for months, with the launch date determined weeks in advance.
Diplomatic efforts had resumed earlier this year in an attempt to resolve the long-running nuclear dispute between Iran and Western powers. The United States and Iran reopened negotiations in February, but major differences persisted, particularly over Iran’s ballistic missile programme and the scope of sanctions relief.
Tehran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons, maintaining that its programme is for peaceful purposes. However, Western governments argue that Iran’s missile development threatens regional stability and could eventually be linked to nuclear capabilities. With military operations now underway and both sides signalling readiness for further action, hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough appear increasingly uncertain.
