US President Donald Trump confirmed on February 28 that the United States military had begun major combat operations against Iran, declaring that the Islamic Republic would never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon and urging the Iranian people to seize control of their government once strikes were complete.

"A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran," Trump said in an address "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime."

Trump said the operation aimed to destroy Iran's missile industry, annihilate its navy and eliminate the capacity of regional proxy groups to launch attacks against US forces and allies.

"We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally obliterated. We are going to annihilate their navy," he said.

The president cited the June 2025 Operation Midnight Hammer strikes on Iran's Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities as a prior warning that went unheeded, saying Tehran had subsequently attempted to rebuild its nuclear programme and continued developing long-range missiles capable of reaching Europe and potentially the American homeland.

"It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I'll say it again. They can never have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

Trump described Iran as the world's number one state sponsor of terror, citing 47 years of what he called a campaign of bloodshed against the United States, including the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut that killed 241 American military personnel, the attack on the USS Cole, the killing and maiming of hundreds of US service members in Iraq, and the October 7 attacks on Israel, which he said were backed by Tehran and killed more than 1,000 people including 46 Americans.

The president acknowledged the possibility of US casualties.

"The Iranian regime seeks to kill, 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, and it is a noble mission," he said.

Trump directed a message to members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran's armed forces, telling them to lay down their weapons in exchange for full immunity or face "certain death."

He also addressed the Iranian people directly, telling them to remain sheltered indoors and urging them to take control of their government once the strikes were complete.

"To the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. 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."

The address came as explosions rang out across Tehran, with strikes reported near the compound of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the cities of Isfahan and Qom, and in multiple districts of the capital. Iran closed its entire airspace, cut mobile phone services and halted trading on the Tehran Stock Exchange. The rial plunged to a record low of IRR1,749,500 against the dollar on the free market.

Iranian authorities denied social media reports that President Masoud Pezeshkian had been killed. No official casualty figures had been released at the time of publication.

This story is developing.