US and Israel strike Iran as Trump calls for regime change
The US and Israel have launched strikes on Iran as President Trump called for Iranian citizens to “take over” the country’s government, with Sir Keir Starmer weighing in to condemn Iran’s retaliatory strikes.
Trump announced in a video broadcast on Truth Social that the US has launched “major combat operations” against Iran, adding that it was ready to leave the country’s armoury “totally obliterated”.
There were reports of bombs in five Iranian cities including explosions in the capital Tehran.
Israel labelled its attack as being “pre-emptive”. The IDF said Iran attacked Israel in response to the attack.
In a video statement later on Saturday, Starmer did not directly comment on Trump’s strikes as he affirmed the UK did not a role in the attacks.
He added that the regime in Iran was “abhorrent” and said it posed a “direct threat to dissidents and the Jewish community” within Britain.
“Over the last year alone, they have backed more than 20 potentially lethal attacks on UK soil,” Starmer said. “So it’s clear they must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.
“That remains the primary aim of the United Kingdom and our allies – including the US.”
Nuclear arms talks fail
Talks over Iran’s nuclear programme took place in Switzerland earlier this week. Both the US and Iran said they had made progress in reaching a deal on nuclear arms development.
Iran has said it maintained the right to enrich uranium. It also avoided discussion of other issues, including its long-range missile programme or support for armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.
Iran had warned that American military personnel and bases across the region would be targets for any retaliation, and Bahrain said that a missile attack had targeted the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in the island kingdom.
Its leaders have also said it has not enriched uranium since June, but it has blocked international inspectors from visiting the sites the US bombed during the 12-day war that took place last year.
Iran shut its air space and mobile phone services were cut while it was revealed on Friday that British and American diplomats had been taken out of the country.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, was transferred to a secure location, according to Reuters.
Other countries to shut their air spaces included Iraq and Israel, which also declared a state of emergency.
Iranians urged to topple government
Trump made a direct appeal to Iranians after months of protests in which thousands of people were killed, demanding that they took advantage of the opportunity of the assault, which has been dubbed Operation Epic Fury.
“To the great, proud people of Iran I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand,” he said in an address from Mar-a-Lago.
“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. This will probably be your only chance for generations.”
He also said the “terrorist regime” should be prevented from gaining nuclear weapons.
“The United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests.
“We are going to raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally obliterated.”
A UK government spokesperson said it did not wan to see “further escalation” of war in the region.
“Our immediate priority is the safety of UK nationals in the region and we will provide them with consular assistance, available 24/7,” the spokesperson said.
“As part of our longstanding commitments to the security of our allies in the Middle East, we have a range of defensive capabilities in the region, which we have recently bolstered. We stand ready to protect our interests.”