Israel and the U.S. launch attacks on Iran, current known situation summary

Investing.com - The United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran early Saturday morning, with explosions reported in Tehran and several other cities across the country.

U.S. President Donald Trump released an 8-minute social media video on Saturday stating that the U.S. has begun “major military operations” against Iran. Israel also confirmed that it is attacking Iranian targets.

Follow the development of the situation with InvestingPro — enjoy a 50% discount today.

According to The New York Times, the Israeli strikes on Iran began at 8:10 a.m. local time.

Multiple media outlets report that over 30 targets across Iran have been attacked, including the country’s intelligence headquarters, Ministry of Defense, and nuclear energy departments. Reports also indicate that the presidential palace in Tehran is under attack.

The New York Times reports that a resident and local journalists in Tehran said the city’s landline phones are down, with only sporadic signals on mobile phones.

Cities such as Isfahan and Qom are also reportedly under attack. Videos circulating on social media show numerous rockets flying across Iranian airspace.

Prior to these attacks, the U.S. had conducted weeks of military buildup in the region. The New York Times states that the strikes began after Trump grew disappointed with weeks of negotiations.

In a statement, Trump described the Iranian regime as “a bunch of brutal, hardline, terrifying people,” and said that “their threatening activities directly endanger the United States” and its military.

Trump called on the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, armed forces, and police to lay down their weapons in exchange for “full immunity.”

The U.S. president also urged the Iranian people to “take over your government” after the military operations end. He said, “This may be your only chance in generations. For years, you’ve asked for American help, but never received it. No president has been willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want. Let’s see how you respond.”

This article was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence. For more information, please see our Terms of Use.