In a surprising move, President Donald Trump unleashed a fierce critique of Iran in a video message released in the early morning hours.
Broadcasting from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump shared an eight-minute address at 2:30 a.m. Eastern Time, outlining a significant initiative aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
During his address, the President cautioned that the campaign might pose risks to U.S. military personnel.
“The lives of brave American heroes may be at stake, and we could face casualties. Such is often the nature of warfare,” he remarked.
Following this announcement, reports of military strikes have emerged throughout the Middle East.
In a coordinated effort with Israel, Iran’s Supreme Leader was reportedly a target in the initial wave of attacks. Meanwhile, Tehran retaliated by striking the U.S. Fifth Fleet stationed in Bahrain and various other bases in the region.
Trump declared he will ‘raze their missile industry to the ground’ as he warned troops in Iran to lay down their arms or face ‘certain death.’
Read Trump’s speech in full below:
A short time ago, the United States 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.
President Donald Trump launched an all-out attack on Iran in a surprise video address in the wee hours of the morning
An explosion in the sea, after missiles were launched towards Israel from Iran following strikes by Israel and the U.S. on Iran, as seen from Haifa, northern Israel
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 US 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 US Naval and commercial vessels in international shipping lanes.
It’s been mass terror, and we’re not gonna 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.
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.
Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran
The president also warned that US troops could be killed in the dangerous campaign
It’s 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 Fordo, 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 rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions and we can’t take it anymore.
Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program 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.
Smoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain
Just imagine how emboldening 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 has undertaken a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests. We’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally, again, obliterated.
We’re going to annihilate their navy. We’re 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’s no military on earth even close to its power, strength or sophistication.
My administration has taken every possible step to minimize the risk to US 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.
Image shows damage at an impact site following US and Israeli strikes on Tehran
A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran
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.
Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran
Jubilant protestors outside the Iranian Embassy in London this morning as attacks on Iran are underway
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.
Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close, within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.
May God bless the brave men and women of America’s armed forces. May God bless the United States of America. May God bless you all. Thank you.
