Trump says Iran threatened Europe as he confirms strikes on Tehran
Israel and the US launched attacks on the Iranian capital and other parts of the country early on Saturday morning.
Donald Trump claimed Iran was developing weapons that could target “our very good friends and allies in Europe” and US troops overseas as he confirmed US involvement in strikes on Tehran.
Israel and the US launched attacks on the Iranian capital and other parts of the country early on Saturday morning.
In a video posted on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said the Iranian regime had “attempted to rebuild their nuclear programme and to continue developing long-range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas and could soon reach the American homeland”.
The British Government is yet to comment on the strikes, which came shortly after US-Iran talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme ended without agreement.
Iran has previously warned that it would retaliate against US personnel across the Middle East if attacked.
At around 8.10am UK time, the Israeli military said it had “identified missiles launched from Iran” towards Israel “a short while ago”, adding: “Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat.”
On Friday, the UK withdrew its diplomatic staff from Iran due to security concerns.
The Foreign Office moved some staff based at the British embassy in Tel Aviv and their dependents to another location in Israel amid concerns of a wider regional war.
Saturday’s attack follows mounting tension in the region, with the US deploying a vast fleet of warships and aircraft to try to pressure Iran into a deal over its nuclear programme.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said the attack had been carried out to “remove threats”, and the strikes are reported to have targeted a range of government and military sites.
One of the first is reported to have landed near the office of Iran’s supreme leader, the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
