0:03 A short time ago, the United States
0:07 military began major combat operations
0:09 in Iran.
0:12 Our objective is to defend the American
0:15 people by eliminating eminent threats
0:20 from the Iranian regime, a vicious group
0:24 of very hard, terrible people.
0:26 Its menacing activities directly
0:28 endanger the United States, our troops,
0:31 our bases overseas, and our allies
0:35 throughout the world. For 47 years, the
0:37 Iranian regime has chanted death to
0:40 America and waged an unending campaign
0:44 of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting
0:46 the United States, our troops, and the
0:49 innocent people in many, many countries.
0:52 Among the regime's very first acts was
0:55 to back a violent takeover of the US
0:58 embassy in Tran, holding dozens of
1:04 American hostages for 444 days. In 1983,
1:07 Iran's proxies carried out the Marine
1:09 barracks bombing in Beirut that killed
1:13 241 American military personnel.
1:16 In 2000, they knew and were probably
1:18 involved with the attack on the USS
1:21 Cole. Many died.
1:24 Iranian forces killed and maimed
1:26 hundreds of American service members in
1:28 Iraq. The regime's proxies have
1:30 continued to launch countless attacks
1:33 against American forces stationed in the
1:36 Middle East in recent years, as well as
1:38 US naval and commercial vessels in
1:42 international shipping lands. It's been
1:44 mass terror and we're not going to put
1:48 up with it any longer. From Lebanon to
1:51 Yemen and Syria to Iraq, the regime has
1:54 armed, trained, and funded terrorist
1:57 militias that have soaked the earth with
2:00 blood and guts.
2:03 And it was Iran's proxy Hamas that
2:05 launched the monstrous October 7th
2:08 attacks on Israel, slaughtering more
2:12 than 1,000 innocent people, including 46
2:14 Americans, while taking 12 of our
2:18 citizens hostage. It was brutal,
2:20 something like the world has never seen before.
2:22 before.
2:24 Iran is the world's number one state
2:27 sponsor of terror and just recently
2:29 killed tens of thousands of its own
2:31 citizens on the street as they
2:33 protested. It has always been the policy
2:37 of the United States in particular my
2:39 administration that this terrorist
2:43 regime can never have a nuclear weapon.
2:46 I'll say it again. They can never have a
2:48 nuclear weapon.
2:51 That is why in operation midnight hammer
2:55 last June we obliterated the regime's
2:59 nuclear program at Ford Natans and Isvahan.
3:00 Isvahan.
3:03 After that attack we warned them never
3:05 to resume their malicious pursuit of
3:10 nuclear weapons and we sought repeatedly
3:13 to make a deal. We tried. They wanted to
3:16 do it. They didn't want to do it again.
3:18 They wanted to do it. They didn't want
3:19 to do it. They didn't know what was
3:21 happening. They just wanted to practice
3:26 evil. But Iran refused, just as it has
3:29 for decades and decades. They've
3:31 rejected every opportunity to renounce
3:34 their nuclear ambitions,
3:37 and we can't take it anymore. Instead,
3:40 they attempted to rebuild their nuclear
3:43 program and to continue developing long
3:47 range missiles that can now threaten our
3:49 very good friends and allies in Europe,
3:52 our troops stationed overseas and could
3:56 soon reach the American homeland.
3:59 Just imagine how emboldened this regime
4:02 would be if they ever had and actually
4:04 were armed with nuclear weapons as a
4:08 means to deliver their message. For
4:10 these reasons, the United States
4:12 military is undertaking a massive and
4:15 ongoing operation to prevent this very
4:18 wicked, radical dictatorship from
4:20 threatening America and our core
4:24 national security interests. We are
4:25 going to destroy their missiles and
4:28 raise their missile industry to the
4:32 ground. It will be totally again
4:35 obliterated. We are going to annihilate
4:37 their navy. We are going to ensure that
4:40 the region's terrorist proxies can no
4:42 longer destabilize the region or the
4:45 world and attack our forces and no
4:49 longer use their IEDs or roadside bombs
4:52 as they are sometimes called to so
4:55 gravely wound and kill thousands and
4:57 thousands of people including many
5:00 Americans. And we will ensure that Iran
5:04 does not obtain a nuclear weapon. It's a
5:07 very simple message. They will never
5:11 have a nuclear weapon. This regime will
5:13 soon learn that no one should challenge
5:15 the strength and might of the United
5:19 States armed forces. I built and rebuilt
5:23 our military in my first administration,
5:25 and there is no military on earth even
5:28 close to its power, strength, or sophistication.
5:30 sophistication.
5:32 My administration has taken every
5:35 possible step to minimize the risk to US
5:38 personnel in the region. Even so, and I
5:41 do not make this statement lightly, the
5:45 Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives
5:47 of courageous American heroes may be
5:51 lost and we may have casualties.
5:53 That often happens in war. But we're
5:56 doing this not for now. We're doing this
5:58 for the future. And it is a noble
6:01 mission. We pray for every service
6:04 member as they selflessly risk their
6:06 lives to ensure that Americans and our
6:09 children will never be threatened by a
6:12 nuclear armed Iran. We ask God to
6:15 protect all of our heroes in harm's way.
6:18 And we trust that with his help, the men
6:21 and women of the armed forces will
6:23 prevail. We have the greatest in the
6:25 world and they will prevail. To the
6:28 members of the Islamic Revolutionary
6:31 Guard, the armed forces, and all of the
6:34 police, I say tonight that you must lay
6:37 down your weapons and have complete
6:40 immunity, or in the alternative, face
6:44 certain death. So, lay down your arms,
6:47 you will be treated fairly with total
6:50 immunity, or you will face certain
6:53 death. Finally, to the great proud
6:56 people of Iran, I say tonight that the
6:59 hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay
7:01 sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's
7:03 very dangerous outside. Bombs will be
7:06 dropping everywhere. When we are
7:08 finished, take over your government. It
7:11 will be yours to take. This will be
7:14 probably your only chance for
7:16 generations. For many years, you have
7:19 asked for America's help, but you never
7:22 got it. No president was willing to do
7:25 what I am willing to do tonight. Now you
7:27 have a president who is giving you what
7:30 you want. So let's see how you respond.
7:33 America is backing you with overwhelming
7:36 strength and devastating force. Now is
7:38 the time to seize control of your
7:41 destiny and to unleash the prosperous
7:44 and glorious future that is close within
7:46 your reach. This is the moment for
7:49 action. Do not let it pass. May God
7:51 bless the brave men and women of
7:55 America's armed forces. May God bless
7:57 the United States of America. May God
