The U.S. army has begun “main fight operations” in Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday, as Iranian missiles focused a number of Center Japanese cities.
“Our goal is to defend the American individuals by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very onerous, horrible individuals,” Trump mentioned in a video message on his Fact Social account.
A U.S. official confirmed earlier that American forces attacked Iran by air and sea, Reuters reported. It additionally cited an unidentified Iranian official as saying that a number of ministries within the southern a part of the Iranian capital, Tehran, had been focused
Israel additionally launched a Saturday assault on Iran’s capital, with a cloud of smoke rising from town’s downtown.
Explosions had been heard in key cities across the Center East, together with Jerusalem, as Iran launched counterattacks. CNBC producer Joan Muwahed in Dubai reported listening to two explosions over town within the United Arab Emirates.
Qatar and the UAE condemned Iranian missile counterattacks.
“The State of Qatar expresses its robust condemnation of the focusing on of Qatari territory with Iranian ballistic missiles, contemplating it a flagrant violation of its nationwide sovereignty,” Qatar’s Ministry of Protection mentioned in a press release.
A UAE assertion mentioned: “the Ministry of Protection introduced that the nation was subjected at this time to a blatant assault by Iranian ballistic missiles, which was handled by the UAE air defenses with excessive effectivity and a variety of missiles had been efficiently intercepted.”
The Israel Protection Forces mentioned it had recognized missiles launched from Iran towards Israel.
“Defensive programs are working to intercept the menace. Previously jiffy, the Dwelling Entrance Command has despatched a precautionary directive on to cellphones within the related areas,” the IDF mentioned in a tweet.
Elsewhere, Bahrain mentioned the service middle of the U.S. Fifth Fleet was subjected to a missile assault. The U.S. embassy in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, issued a safety alert warning of “imminent drone/missile assault in Bahrain”.
In a tweet, the embassy urged “U.S. residents in Bahrain to shelter in place, evaluation safety plans within the occasion of an assault, and to remain alert in case of extra future assaults. U.S. Embassy personnel are sheltering in place.”
The U.S. embassy in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, additionally issued a shelter-in-place alert.
Failed negotiations?
The Saturday assaults come after the US had assembled an enormous fleet of fighter jets and warships within the area in an effort to stress Iran into a deal over its nuclear program.
Trump warned earlier in February that “actually dangerous issues” would occur until Tehran agreed to a nuclear deal. The U.S. and Iran held a 3rd spherical of talks in Switzerland on Thursday to attempt to resolve a standoff.
Forward of the discussions, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned Iran’s reluctance to speak about its ballistic missile growth program, alongside its nuclear program, was a “massive, massive downside.” Iran had mentioned it was keen to compromise when it got here to its nuclear program, however had repeatedly mentioned Tehran’s missile program had by no means been a part of the talks’ agenda.
Nevertheless, Trump mentioned Iran has continued to pursue nuclear weapons regardless of ongoing negotiations to finish its program.
“[In] Operation Midnight Hammer final June, we obliterated the regime’s nuclear program at Fordow. And Isfahan. After that assault, we warned them by no means to renew their malicious pursuit of nuclear weapons, and we sought repeatedly to make a deal,” Trump mentioned. “However Iran refused.”
“As a substitute, they tried to rebuild their nuclear program and to proceed growing the lengthy vary missiles that may now threaten our superb associates and allies in Europe, our troops stationed abroad and will quickly attain the American homeland,” he mentioned.
Along with the capital Tehran, the cities of Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah had been focused.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Photographs
A Pentagon responsibility press officer mentioned the division has obtained CNBC’s emailed requests for remark however made no additional assertion.
A senior Center East diplomat who has direct data of the current talks between Iran and the U.S. advised MS Now: “But once more, when negotiations get near success … Israel has intervened to preempt diplomacy.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump for “his historic management” and mentioned that Iran’s authorities “should not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons that will allow it to threaten all of humanity.”
Iran, in the meantime, harshly condemned the assaults, accusing the U.S. and Israel of “grossly violating” Iran’s territorial integrity and nationwide sovereignty.
‘Grave penalties’
French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned the outbreak of struggle between the U.S., Israel and Iran carries “grave penalties.”
“The continued escalation is harmful for all. It should cease. The Iranian regime should perceive that it now has no different possibility however to interact in good religion in negotiations to finish its nuclear and ballistic packages,” Macron mentioned, and known as for an “pressing” assembly of the United Nations Safety Council.
Russia was unequivocal in its condemnation of the U.S. and Israeli strikes.
“It’s significantly reprehensible that these strikes are as soon as once more being carried out below the duvet of the renewed negotiation course of, ostensibly supposed to safe long-term normalisation of the scenario across the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Russia’s International Ministry mentioned in a assertion.
This mixture of images created on April 09, 2025 exhibits US Center East envoy Steve Witkoff after a gathering with Russian officers at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025 (L); and Iran’s International Minister Abbas Araghchi talking to AFP throughout an interview on the Iranian consulate in Jeddah on March 7, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein | Amer Hilabi | AFP | Getty Photographs
Power market members have been intently monitoring the escalating geopolitical tensions, with oil costs climbing to six-month highs after Trump mentioned he was contemplating a army strike towards Iran.
Iran, a founding member of OPEC, is a significant oil producer and sits on the coronary heart of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, via which about 20% of the world’s oil passes.
— Riya Bhattacharjee, Victor Loh and Emma Graham contributed to this story
