U.S. and Israeli Forces Launch Coordinated Strikes on Iran; Tehran Retaliates with Missile Barrage
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN/JERUSALEM — The United States and Israel launched a coordinated military assault on targets across Iran early Saturday, striking locations in the capital Tehran and several other major cities. The operation, described by U.S. President Donald Trump as "major combat operations," marks a dramatic intensification of a long-simmering confrontation centered on Iran's nuclear and regional activities.
The attacks come after weeks of heightened U.S. military buildup in the region and eight months after a brief but fierce 12-day war involving U.S., Israeli, and Iranian forces. They effectively shatter a precarious diplomatic window that had seen indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Iranian forces retaliated hours later, launching a salvo of missiles toward northern Israel. Air raid sirens sounded across parts of Israel, and the Israeli military confirmed its air defense systems were engaged. Casualty and damage assessments on both sides remain preliminary.
Scope of the Strikes
Israeli forces initiated the hostilities, with U.S. officials later confirming the operation was a joint effort. The U.S. military, which has assembled its largest force in the Middle East since the Iraq War in recent weeks, participated directly. According to Iranian state media, strikes impacted central Tehran near University Street and the Jomhouri area, close to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities. Explosions were also reported near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and in the northern Seyyed Khandan district.
Additional strikes were reported in the cities of Isfahan, Tabriz, Qom, Kermanshah, Karaj, and Ilam. President Trump, in statements on social media, declared the campaign's objective was to "destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground" and "annihilate their navy." He further vowed to neutralize Iran's network of regional allies, referred to as "proxies," and reiterated his stance against Iranian nuclear weapon development—a goal Tehran consistently denies pursuing.
Analysts suggest the scale of the operation indicates a strategic shift. "This isn't a punitive strike; it's the opening of a concerted campaign intended to degrade Iran's military infrastructure and potentially catalyze political change within the country," said a senior U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity.
Iran's Response and Regional Fallout
Iran's missile retaliation, confirmed by the Israeli military, signals a clear rejection of a purely defensive posture. Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament's national security commission, had promised a "crushing" response, warning adversaries on social media: "Now you have started down a path which end is no longer in your control."
The whereabouts of Supreme Leader Khamenei, 86, were not immediately clear, with roads to his Tehran compound sealed following the attacks. Iranian state media reported President Masoud Pezeshkian was unharmed.
The conflict immediately reverberated through global oil and financial markets, with prices soaring on fears of a protracted war that could disrupt vital shipping lanes and energy supplies from the Persian Gulf.
Voices from the Region
David Chen, a security analyst based in Singapore: "This represents a point of no return. The previous rules of engagement—shadow warfare and proxy conflicts—have been obliterated. The risk of miscalculation and direct great-power involvement has just increased exponentially."
Anahita Rasoul, a university student in Tehran, contacted via messaging app: "We are sitting in the dark, listening to the sounds outside. This is not about politics anymore; this is about survival. We are terrified for our families. When will the world see us as people, not just a regime?"
Mark Richardson, a former U.S. diplomat, now with a D.C. think tank: "The administration has chosen the riskiest possible path. While the intent may be to force capitulation, history in this region suggests it often leads to entrenched resistance and unforeseen blowback. The planning for 'day after' scenarios appears dangerously thin."
Senator James O'Reilly (fictional), in a televised interview, struck a more尖锐 tone: "Finally, we're showing some spine! For decades, administrations from both parties have appeased, negotiated, and watched Iran spread chaos. Talk is cheap; kinetic action gets results. If their missile facilities are rubble and their navy is at the bottom of the Gulf, then they can't threaten their neighbors or our allies. This should have happened years ago."