Trump says US aims to destroy Iran's military, topple government
In a video address after the United States and Israel started bombing Iran, Trump made clear the goal was destruction of the Islamic republic's military and toppling of the authorities in power since the 1979 revolution.
"We are 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," Trump said in the address from his Florida home posted to his Truth Social platform.
He urged opponents of the Iranian authorities to rise up, saying "the hour of your freedom is at hand."
"When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take," Trump said. This "will be probably your only chance for generations."
But in a section of the short speech that was aimed at the US public, Trump acknowledged that "the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost" in what the Pentagon dubbed "Operation Epic Fury."
"We may have casualties," Trump warned.
Any loss of life on the US side would be politically hazardous for Trump himself, especially after his refusal to seek approval for war against Iran from Congress -- and his own lengthy record of opposing foreign interventions.
A one-day raid to oust the former strongman leader of Venezuela in January was accomplished without US fatalities. Surgical air strikes on Iran's main nuclear sites last June also went off without US losses.
Bombs 'dropping everywhere'
"Operation Epic Fury" is on an entirely different scale militarily and politically.
An attack was widely expected after Trump ordered the biggest military deployment to the Middle East in years. But critical lawmakers have for days been asking why Trump has not addressed the US public or Congress to explain the need for war.
Trump's video appeared without warning on his Truth Social site at 2:30 am in Florida, where he was spending the weekend at his luxury golf club.
Trump, wearing a white baseball cap marked "USA" and no tie with his white shirt and dark jacket, stood at a podium between two flags against a black background.
He sought to justify the assault on Iran saying: "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime."
"They attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and 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," he said.
He urged Iranian forces to surrender, including the elite Revolutionary Guards that is tasked with safeguarding the cleric-run government.
"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."
But Trump warned ordinary Iranians that the US bombing would be large-scale.
"Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere."
Trump on Friday insisted that he had not decided whether to attack, and his envoys on Thursday held talks with Iran's top diplomat toward a deal on concerns led by Tehran's nuclear program.
The top diplomat of Oman, which mediated talks Thursday in Geneva between the United States and Iran, had been optimistic for a compromise.
He met Friday with US Vice President JD Vance and told CBS News that Iran had agreed to zero stockpiling of enriched uranium that could build an atomic bomb, a goal denied by Tehran.