Donald Trump has offered Iranian government officials “total immunity” if they surrender or “certain death” if they resist, as dozens of American warplanes launched strikes alongside Israel in what the US president described as “major combat operations” aimed at eliminating threats from the regime.
In an eight-minute Truth Social address, Trump called on Iranian citizens to “take over your government” following the military action, stating: “This will be probably your only chance for generations. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.”
The operation was planned for months with the launch date decided weeks ago, an Israeli official confirmed. Dozens of American strikes are being carried out by warplanes from bases around the Middle East and from “one or more” aircraft carriers, a US official stated.
Explosions rocked Tehran’s capital on Saturday morning, the first day of the week in Iran, with blasts heard in the city’s east and west. Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed Israel had declared a “special and permanent state of emergency” in a Saturday morning statement.
The New York Times reported minutes later that the US had joined the attack, with Trump confirming American military involvement in his Truth Social video. He stated: “Our objective is to the defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people. Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas and our allies throughout the world.”
The grave warning to Iranian government officials marked an unprecedented direct appeal for regime surrender. “Lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death,” Trump declared in the address.
The strikes follow months of escalating tensions in the Middle East and indicate a breakthrough on US-Iran nuclear talks has not materialized. The timing and scale of the operation suggests weeks of coordination between US and Israeli military planners.
Trump’s call for Iranian citizens to seize the moment and overthrow their government represents a direct intervention in internal Iranian politics during active military operations. Whether Iranian opposition groups will respond to his appeal remains to be seen.
The “special and permanent state of emergency” declared by Israel suggests authorities anticipate retaliatory action. The duration and scope of US-Israeli strikes has not been specified by either government.
