Trump appeals to Iranian people to ‘take over your govt’

President Donald Trump on Saturday appealed to the Iranian people to “take over your government” after the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran. He said: “It will be yours to take.”

The US and Israel launched an attack Saturday on Iran, with the first apparent strike happening near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iranian media reported strikes nationwide, and smoke could be seen rising from the capital.

President Trump said in a video posted on social media that the US had begun “major combat operations in Iran.” He claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program and plans to develop missiles to reach US.

It also wasn’t immediately clear whether the 86-year-old Khamenei was in his offices at the time. He hasn’t been seen publicly in days as tensions with the United States have grown. The attack comes as the United States has assembled a vast fleet of fighter jets and warships in the region to try to pressure Iran into a deal over its nuclear programme.

Roads to Khamenei’s compound in downtown Tehran had been shut down by authorities as other blasts rang out across the capital.

In his statement, Trump announced Saturday that "major combat" is underway to destroy Iran's missile forces and "annihilate" the country's navy.

"The United States' military began major combat operations in Iran," Trump said in a video message posted on his social media site while he spent the weekend at his Florida golf club. "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime."

"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.

He offered the military there "immunity" or "certain death" and told Iranians the "hour of your freedom is at hand."

Trump warned that US forces could take casualties in what he called a massive attack on Iran to destroy the country's military and spark a popular revolt against the government.

"The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties," Trump said.

Trump vowed to "annihilate" the country's navy and missile sites, and urging Iranians to overthrow their government.

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.

Speaking to Iranians, Trump said: "When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take."

"This will be probably your only chance for generations," Trump said. "The hour of your freedom is at hand."

Trump 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."

Trump justified 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.

And 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."

The attack was widely expected after Trump ordered the biggest military deployment to the Middle East in years.

But Trump on Friday had 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.

Trump in June ordered the US military to bomb Iran's main nuclear sites in support of an Israeli military campaign.

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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2026