President Trump specifically thanked God: "I want to thank everybody and in particular, God. I want to just say we love you, God, and we love our great military, protect them. God bless the Middle East, God bless Israel and God bless America."
The U.S. military struck three sites in Iran early Sunday, directly joining Israel ’s war aimed at decapitating the country’s nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran’s threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict.
The decision to directly involve the U.S. comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that have moved to systematically eradicate the country’s air defenses and offensive missile capabilities, while damaging its nuclear enrichment facilities. But U.S. and Israeli officials have said that American stealth bombers and a 30,000-lb. bunker buster bomb they alone can carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily-fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear program buried deep underground.
President Donald Trump was the first to disclose the strikes. There was no immediate acknowledgment from the Iranian government. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that attacks targeted the country’s Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites. The agency did not elaborate.
Here is the latest:
Quiet outside the White House as Trump describes Iran strikes
After Trump spoke to the country about the bombing in Iran, the White House had an eerie calm.
There was darkness outside the West Wing, other than bright TV crew lights and yellow lights from the nearby Eisenhower Executive Office Building overlooking the White House.
A siren rang in the background in city traffic that continued without pausing for the historic moment.
Trump’s speech came on in the overhead speakers in the White House press area, only for his voice to give way to a sudden silence after he thanked God.
Trump warns Iran ‘there are many targets left’
President Trump called Iran “the bully of the Middle East” and warned of additional attacks if it didn’t make peace.
“If they do not, future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier,” Trump said at the White House after the bombings of Iran’s nuclear facilities were announced earlier.
Trump portrayed the strike as a response to a long-festering problem, even if the objective was to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
“For 40 years Iran has been saying death to America, death to Israel,” Trump said. “They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs.”
Trump warned that he will not hesitate to strike other targets in Iran if peace does not come quickly in the Middle East.
"There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,” he said.
Trump said that while the nuclear facilities struck by the U.S. on Saturday were the most “lethal,” “there are many targets left.”
“If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill,” he added.
Trump says he worked ‘as a team’ with Israel’s prime minister to strike Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump said he worked “as a team” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the collaboration was “perhaps” like “no team has worked before.”
But Trump also noted that no military in the world except for that of the U.S. could have pulled off the attack.
Trump says Iran will face more military strikes unless it makes peace
President Trump specifically thanked God:
"I want to thank everybody and in particular, God. I want to just say we love you, God, and we love our great military, protect them. God bless the Middle East, God bless Israel and God bless America."
(earlier)
Trump-claimed attack threatens to reignite US war with Houthi rebels
The attack claimed by U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to reignite America’s war with Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the last member of Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” able to launch regular attacks.
The Houthis on Saturday warned they would resume attack American ships in the Red Sea corridor if the U.S. joined the Israeli campaign.
Trump describes bombings as a 'very successful military operation'
President Donald Trump posted on social media that he will be delivering a 10 p.m. EDT address on the U.S. strikes from the White House.
The president described the bombings as a “very successful military operation in Iran.”
“This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR,” Trump added.
Several Republican senators praise Trump after US bombing of Iran sites
Several Republican senators are praising President Donald Trump after he announced Saturday evening that the U.S. military bombed three sites in Iran.
“Well done, President Trump,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C, posted on X. Texas Sen. John Cornyn called it a “courageous decision.” Alabama Sen. Katie Britt said she stands by Trump and called the bombings “strong and surgical.”
Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin posted: “America first, always.”
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania also praised the attacks on Iran. “As I’ve long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS,” he posted. “Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities.”
One House Republican criticized Trump’s decision. “This is not Constitutional,” posted Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, a longtime opponent of U.S. involvement in foreign wars.
President Trump added, "NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter."
The strikes are a perilous decision for the U.S. as Iran has pledged to retaliate if it joined the Israeli assault, and for Trump personally, having won the White House on the promise of keeping America out of costly foreign conflicts and scoffed at the value of American interventionism.