US President Donald Trump on Saturday called attacks on Iran “a noble mission,” saying they were necessary because of Tehran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and missile systems that could reach the US.
The US and Israel launched the coordinated attacks on Iran to destroy the country's missile forces and "annihilate" the country's navy.
Trump encouraged the Iranian people to “take over your government — it will be yours to take.”
Despite claims that last year’s strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities destroyed the country’s nuclear program, Trump said that Iran “attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing the 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.”
Trump said that Saturday’s strikes would be part of “a massive and ongoing operation” that will aim to “destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground” as well as “annihilate their navy,” and “ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces.”
Trump urged Iranian forces to surrender, including the Revolutionary Guards.
"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," Trump said.
The attack was widely expected after Trump ordered the biggest military deployment to the Middle East in years.
