President Trump Announces U.S. Forces Have Begun Combat Operations in Iran
President Trump announces U.S. combat operations in Iran, framing it as retaliation for 47 years of aggression—from the 1979 hostage crisis (444 days) to October 7th’s Hamas attacks (1,200+ dead)—and Iran’s nuclear ambitions, citing Operation Midnight Hammer’s 2023 strikes on Fordow and Natanz. He vows to dismantle Iran’s missile industry, Navy, and proxy militias while offering Iranian forces immunity if they surrender, urging citizens to seize power post-strike. Calling Iran the "world’s top terror sponsor," he positions this as a decisive break from past inaction, risking U.S. casualties for long-term security. [Automatically generated summary]
Frankly, I'm not going to dignify this with another response, especially as this representative sits here in this body representing a regime that has killed tens of thousands of its own people and imprisoned many more simply for wanting freedom from your tyranny.
Thank you, Mr. President.
To enable names inscribed on the list of speakers.
Before adjourning the meeting, as this is really the last meeting of our presidency in the month of February, I would just like to express my thanks on behalf of the delegation of the United Kingdom, to members of the Council, the Secretary General, and members of the Secretariat for all their support this month.
The meeting is adjourned.
The U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran early Saturday.
Next, President Trump announces the military action.
That's followed by Israeli leader Netanyahu and his address to his country.
Later, the prime minister of England and his comments on the attacks.
The 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.
Its 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 the innocent people in many, many countries.
Among the regime's very first acts was to back a violent takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, holding dozens of American hostages for 444 days.
In 1983, Iran's proxies carried out the Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut that killed 241 American military personnel.
In 2000, they knew and were probably involved with the attack on the USS Cole.
Many died.
Iranian forces killed and maimed hundreds of American service members in Iraq.
The regime's proxies have continued to launch countless attacks against American forces stationed in the Middle East in recent years, as well as U.S. naval and commercial vessels in international shipping lands.
It's been mass terror, and we're not going to put up with it any longer.
From Lebanon to Yemen and Syria to Iraq, the regime has armed, trained, and funded terrorist militias that have soaked the earth with blood and guts.
And it was Iran's proxy, Hamas, that launched the monstrous October 7th attacks on Israel, slaughtering more than 1,000 innocent people, including 46 Americans, while taking 12 of our citizens hostage.
It was brutal, something like the world has never seen before.
Iran is the world's number one state sponsor of terror and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested.
It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon.
I'll say it again.
They can never have a nuclear weapon.
That is why in Operation Midnight Hammer last June, we obliterated the regime's nuclear program at Ford, Natanz, and Isfahan.
After that attack, we warned them never to resume their malicious pursuit of nuclear weapons, and we sought repeatedly to make a deal.
We tried.
They wanted to do it.
They didn't want to do it.
Again, they wanted to do it.
They didn't want to do it.
They didn't know what was happening.
They just wanted to practice evil.
But Iran refused, just as it has for decades and decades.
They've rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can't take it anymore.
Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing long-range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the American homeland.
Just imagine how emboldened this regime would be if they ever had and actually were armed with nuclear weapons as a means to deliver their message.
For these reasons, the United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests.
We are going to destroy their missiles and raise their missile industry to the ground.
It will be totally, again, obliterated.
We are going to annihilate their Navy.
We are going to ensure that the region's terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces and no longer use their IEDs or roadside bombs, as they are sometimes called, to so gravely wound and kill thousands and thousands of people, including many Americans.
And we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
It's a very simple message.
They will never have a nuclear weapon.
This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States armed forces.
I built and rebuilt our military in my first administration, and there is no military on earth even close to its power, strength, or sophistication.
My administration has taken 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.
The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties.
That often happens in war, but we're doing this not for now.
We're doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission.
We pray for every service member as they selflessly risk their lives to ensure that Americans and our children will never be threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran.
We ask God to protect all of our heroes in harm's way, and we trust that, with his help, the men and women of the armed forces will prevail.
We have the greatest in the world, and they will prevail.
To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces, and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity, or, in the alternative, face certain death.
So, lay down your arms.
You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death.
Finally, to the great proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand.
Stay sheltered.
Don't leave your home.
It's very dangerous outside.
Bombs will be dropping everywhere.
When we are finished, take over your government.
It will be yours to take.
This will be probably your only chance for generations.
For many years, you have asked for America's help, but you never got it.
No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight.
Now you have a president who is giving you what you want.
So let's see how you respond.
America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force.