President Donald Trump says the US has launched a “major operation” in Iran, saying “bombs will be dropping everywhere”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu labelled the attacks “a joint action” between the two countries.
Explosions have also been heard in Israel, with the Israeli Defense Forces advising the public to stay inside.
President Donald Trump says the United States has launched a “major operation” against Iran, urging residents to stay inside as “bombs will be dropping everywhere”.
The US strikes come after Israel also launched strikes against Iran, with witnesses reporting blasts in the capital, Tehran.
Mr Trump posted a video to his Truth Social media platform saying the US wanted to combat “threats” from the Iranian regime.
“A short time ago, the US military began major combat operations in Iran,” he said.
He said Iran was the “world’s number one state sponsor of terror, and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested.
“The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war, but we’re doing this not for now. We’re doing this for the future,” Mr Trump said.
He told Iranian police and other security forces to lay down their arms and be granted immunity, or fight and face “certain death”, and urged everyday civilians to rebel against the regime.
“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations,” he said.
Leaders in the United States and Israel have confirmed both nations are attacking Iran. Follow our live coverage.
Meanwhile, explosions have been heard in Israel, with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) advising residents to “stay in protected spaces until official notice” after “an additional barrage of missiles was launched toward the State of Israel”.
“The Aerial Defense Array is currently identifying and intercepting threats,” the IDF said.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement, thanked Mr Trump for his “historic leadership”.
“Our joint action will create the conditions for the courageous Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” Mr Netanyahu said.
Iran and Israel have both closed their airspace in light of the attacks.
Neighbouring Iraq has also closed its airspace, according to its state news agency.
The Russian Ministry of Transport also announced that Russian air carriers have suspended flights to Iran and Israel.
‘Pre-emptive attack’
Earlier, a US official told Reuters that strikes against Iran were being carried out by air and sea, and Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, confirmed Israel was attacking Iran.
“The State of Israel launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran to remove threats to the State of Israel,” he said in a statement.
Iranian state media reported explosions in Tehran.
The first apparent strike happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Just before 8.15am, local time, warning sirens sounded across Israel, warning Israelis to stay close to shelters in the event of any retaliation.
Witnesses reported blast strikes downtown in Tehran, Iran’s capital, and thick smoke was seen rising in the sky.
Donald Trump is standing on a lawn in front of a group of reporters. He is wearing a long dark winter coat.
The US has amassed a huge military presence in the region after the president threatened military action if Tehran refused to forswear nuclear weapons.
The attack against Iran pushes the Middle East into a renewed military confrontation and further dims hopes for a diplomatic solution to Tehran’s long-running nuclear dispute with the West.
The attack, coming after Israel and Iran engaged in a 12-day air war last June, follows repeated US-Israeli warnings that they would strike again if Iran pressed ahead with its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
The US and Iran renewed negotiations in February in a bid to resolve the decades-long dispute through diplomacy and avert the threat of a military confrontation that could destabilise the region.
Israel, however, insisted that any US deal with Iran must include the dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, not just stopping the enrichment process, and lobbied Washington to include restrictions on Iran’s missile program in the talks.
In his speech given shortly after the attack began, Mr Trump said it had “always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon”.
Iran said it was prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear programme in exchange for lifting sanctions, but ruled out linking the issue to missiles.
Tehran also said it would defend itself against any attack.
It warned neighbouring countries hosting US troops that it would retaliate against American bases if Washington struck Iran.
In June, the US joined an Israeli military campaign against Iranian nuclear installations, in the most direct American military action ever against the Islamic Republic.
Tehran retaliated by launching missiles toward the Al Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest US base in the Middle East.
Western powers have warned that Iran’s ballistic missile project threatens regional stability and could deliver nuclear weapons if developed. Tehran denies seeking atomic bombs.
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