Trump Prepares Full Military Force to Attack Iran, Issues Warning to US Citizens
US President Donald Trump has announced a major military campaign against Iran. The United States and Israel have coordinated a series of attacks on Iran, which were subsequently met with retaliatory strikes from Tehran against Israel and seven US military bases in the Middle East.
Trump warned on Saturday 28 February that American casualties were likely to occur in this conflict. According to Trump, the strike against Iran is necessary despite the cost in American military lives, as the operation aims to destroy Iran’s missile arsenal and eliminate its naval forces.
The US and Israeli governments have repeatedly warned that they would strike Iran again if the country continued pursuing its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
“My administration has taken every possible step to minimise the risk to American forces in the region. Nevertheless, and I do not say this lightly, the Iranian regime is attempting to kill,” Trump said in a video message shared on Truth Social.
“The lives of our brave American heroes may be lost and there may be casualties. That often happens in war, but we are doing this, not for now. We are doing this for the future, and this is a noble mission,” he explained.
The White House subsequently stated there were no confirmed plans for further speeches by Trump.
The US military designated the operation “Epic Fury,” according to the Pentagon. This marks the second time the US has conducted strikes against Iran since Trump returned to the White House last year.
The first strike occurred in June 2025, when Washington conducted a series of attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. The latest operation, which began on Saturday 28 February, is estimated to last several days, according to a US official.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted leading congressional leaders known as the “Gang of Eight” before the strike, said Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut, the leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
“Everything I have heard from the administration before and after this strike against Iran confirms that this is a war without a clear strategic end goal,” Himes said.
“As I conveyed to Secretary Rubio when he briefed the Gang of Eight, military action in this region has rarely ended well for the US. Conflict with Iran could escalate in ways we cannot anticipate. It appears that Donald Trump has not learned from the lessons of history,” he added.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is also a member of the Gang of Eight, said the group had received detailed briefings early this week that military action against Iran might be necessary.
Rubio had informed leaders during a White House briefing on Tuesday 24 February that the operation would likely proceed. However, there have been diplomatic efforts to attempt to reach an agreement with Tehran that could change Trump’s thinking, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Rubio told the Gang of Eight on Friday evening 27 February that the operation to strike Iran would likely commence within hours. Nevertheless, he stated that Trump could still change his mind, according to the source.
In his video message, Trump told members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s elite armed forces, to lay down their weapons, promising they would be granted immunity. The alternative, according to Trump, is “certain death”.
Washington and Tehran have held a series of talks over recent weeks regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The most recent took place on Thursday 26 February without agreement.
“Iran refused, as they have done for several decades. They have rejected every opportunity to relinquish their nuclear ambitions, and we have had enough,” Trump said.
Trump directly appealed to Iranian citizens to launch a coup. He first proposed the idea of striking Iran in January 2026, during a two-week period of national protests in which thousands were killed by authorities.
He stated that the US would come to rescue the demonstrators if Iranian officials shot and killed them. Trump subsequently encouraged the demonstrators to continue protesting, stating that assistance was on the way.
Trump referenced the killing of demonstrators during his statement about the strike, and told Iranian citizens to take shelter as bombs would be dropped “everywhere”.
“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours. This may be your only opportunity for several generations,” he said, directed at the Iranian people.