U.S., Israel launch major attack on Iran as Trump urges Iranian people to take over government

The United States and Israel launched a massive aerial attack Saturday on Iran after negotiations failed to strike a deal over Tehran's nuclear ambitions, and President Donald Trump urged the Iranian people to use the moment to seize control of their government.

“I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand,” Trump told Iranians in an eight-minute video posted on his TruthSocial platform in which he confirmed the U.S. military had launched “major combat operations” against Tehran alongside Israel.

“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people," he added. "Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas and our allies throughout the world."

The American leader's statement came shortly after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed his country had launched a "preemptive strike” on Iran and smoke could be seen billowing from numerous locations in the capital city of Tehran.

Iran vowed immediate retaliation, and the Israeli military ordered civilians to remain in secure locations and to avoid public gatherings amid fears of counterstrikes.

Some of the strikes in Tehran happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the Associated Press.

Katz described the attack as being done “to remove threats" without being more specific.

The Israeli military announced a "prohibition on educational activities, gatherings, and workplaces" but exempted "essential sectors" as it prepared for counter strikes from Tehran.

The strikes came just hours after Trump declared he was "not happy" with the negotiations in which Iran was offering some reductions in nuclear enrichment but refusing any deal on ballistic missiles. The American president said he was pushing for "no enrichment."

"Sometimes you have to use force," Trump said Friday, though he stressed he "would rather do it the peaceful way."

Also Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Iran had been designated a state sponsor of wrongful detention, positioning it for additional sanctions.

"When the Iranian regime seized power 47 years ago, Ayatollah Khomeini consolidated his control of power by endorsing the hostage taking of US embassy staff," Rubio said. "For decades, Iran has continued to cruelly detain innocent Americans, as well as citizens of other nations, to use as political leverage against other states. This abhorrent practice must end.”