US and Israel strike Iran amid tensions over nuclear program
US and Israel strike Iran amid tensions over nuclear program
Sat, February 28, 2026 at 7:21 AM UTC
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Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026.(AP Photo) (AP)
The United States and Israel launched a strike against Iran earlier Saturday.
Explosions were heard in Tehran, following weeks of military buildup and warning rhetoric from President Donald Trump over the country's nuclear ambitions.
In a video on social media, President Donald Trump confirmed the U.S. had started “major combat operations in Iran."
He said the goal of the strikes was “eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
For weeks, U.S. military assets, including dozens of cargo and tanker flights and at least two aircraft carrier strike groups, continued to congregate in the Middle East region.
Mike Huckabee, U.S. Ambassador to Israel, alerted U.S. citizens to be on the alert sirens and to be prepared to take cover if necessary.
"Stay near shelters & take immediate action at the sound of alerts or sirens," he said.
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Both the U.S. and Iran indicated war would be a possibility if nuclear talks didn't reach a satisfactory stage.
In addition to its focus on Iran's nuclear capabilities, the U.S. has indicated its intervention is due in part to Iran's clamping down on domestic protests.
Protests erupted across parts of Iran in January, as demonstrators voiced anger over economic conditions and the country’s leadership.
Since then, activists say hundreds of protesters have been killed and thousands detained.
The administration has moved forward with sanctions against Iranian officials that it says are responsible for the protest crackdowns.
This is the second time the U.S. has struck Iran in the last year. In June of 2025, the U.S. targeted Iran's nuclear enrichment program.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at the time that the strikes appeared to have “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program.
A later intelligence report suggested the program had been set back only months.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
