WAR: US/Israel attack Tehran in mission to remove Iran Supreme leader Khamenei

Image caption: Smoke seen rising in Tehran on Saturday

WAR: US/Israel attack Tehran in mission to remove Iran Supreme leader Khamenei

U.S. President Donald Trump has appealed to the Iranian people to “take over your government.”

Smoke was seen rising in Tehran on Saturday after the U.S. and Israel said it launched an attack on Iran. The first apparent strike happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on targets across Iran on Saturday.

U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iranians to take cover during the strikes, but then said “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.” It was an extraordinary appeal that suggested the allies could be seeking to end of the country’s theocracy after decades of tensions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed that sweeping goal. “Our joint operation will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands,” Netanyahu said.

In a video posted on social media, Trump claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program and plans to develop missiles to reach the U.S.

The first strikes of the attack appeared to target the compound home to Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in downtown Tehran. It wasn’t immediately clear if he was there at the time. Smoke could be seen rising from the Iranian capital.

Iran responded as it had been threatening to do for months — first launching a wave of missiles and drones targeting Israel. It followed with strikes targeting U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The United Arab Emirates and Iraq shut down their airspace.

What we know so far:

Why the US and Israel attacked: Tensions have soared in recent weeks as American warships moved into the region, and U.S. President Donald Trump said he wanted a deal to constrain Iran’s nuclear program. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel — which considers Iran its archenemy — said the joint attack was to “remove an existential threat posed” by Iran.
Trump’s statement: He indicated the U.S. was striking for reasons far beyond the nuclear program, listing grievances stretching back to the beginning of the Islamic Republic following a revolution in 1979 that turned Iran from one of America’s closest allies in the Middle East into a fierce foe. Read what he said in full.

Source: AP