00:00The President, a short time ago, the United States
00:03military began major combat operations in Iran.
00:09Our objective is to defend the American people by
00:13eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian
00:17regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people.
00:24Its menacing activities directly endanger the
00:27United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our
00:31allies throughout the world.
00:33For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted death to
00:37America and waged an unending campaign of
00:40bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States,
00:45our troops, and the innocent people in many, many countries.
00:49Among the regime's very first acts was to back a
00:53violent takeover of the U.S.
00:55embassy in Tehran, holding dozens of American
00:58hostages for 444 days.
01:02In 1983, Iran's proxies carried out the Marine
01:07barracks bombing in Beirut that killed 241 American
01:10military personnel.
01:13In 2000, they knew and were probably involved with the
01:16attack on the USS Cole.
01:19Many died.
01:21Iranian forces killed and maimed hundreds of
01:24American service members in Iraq.
01:26The regime's proxies have continued to launch
01:29countless attacks against American forces stationed in
01:33the Middle East in recent years, as well as U.S.
01:36naval and commercial vessels in international shipping
01:40lands.
01:41It's been mass terror, and we're not going to put up
01:45with it any longer.
01:46From Lebanon to Yemen and Syria to Iraq, the regime
01:51has armed, trained, and funded terrorist militias
01:54that have soaked the earth with blood and guts.
01:59And it was Iran's proxy, Hamas, that launched the
02:03monstrous October 7th attacks on Israel, slaughtering
02:08more than 1,000 innocent people, including 46 Americans,
02:12while taking 12 of our citizens hostage.
02:16It was brutal.
02:17Something like the world has never seen before.
02:21Iran is the world's number one state sponsor of terror,
02:25and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own
02:29citizens on the street as they protested.
02:32It has always been the policy of the United States, in
02:35particular my administration, that this terrorist regime
02:40can never have a nuclear weapon.
02:42I'll say it again.
02:44They can never have a nuclear weapon.
02:48That is why, in Operation Midnight Hammer last June,
02:52we obliterated the regime's nuclear program at
02:56Fordeaux, Natanz, and Isfahan.
03:00After that attack, we warned them never to resume their
03:04malicious pursuit of nuclear weapons.
03:06And we sought repeatedly to make a deal.
03:11We tried.
03:12They wanted to do it.
03:14They didn't want to do it.
03:15Again, they wanted to do it.
03:17They didn't want to do it.
03:18They didn't know what was happening.
03:20They just wanted to practice evil.
03:22But Iran refused, just as it has for decades and decades.
03:28They've rejected every opportunity to renounce
03:31their nuclear ambitions.
03:33And we can't take it anymore.
03:36Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program
03:40and to continue developing long-range missiles that
03:45can now threaten our very good friends and allies in
03:49Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon
03:53reach the American homeland.
03:56Just imagine how emboldened this regime would be if they
03:59ever had and actually were armed with nuclear weapons as
04:04a means to deliver their message.
04:07For these reasons, the United States military has
04:10undertaken a massive and ongoing operation to prevent
04:14this very wicked, radical dictatorship from
04:18threatening America and our core national security interests.
04:23We are going to destroy their missiles and raise their
04:26missile industry to the ground.
04:28It will be totally, again, obliterated.
04:33We're going to annihilate their navy.
04:35We're going to ensure that the region's terrorist proxies can
04:40no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack
04:43our forces and no longer use their IEDs or roadside bombs,
04:49as they are sometimes called to so gravely wound and kill
04:53thousands and thousands of people, including many Americans.
04:58And we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
05:03It's a very simple message.
05:06They will never have a nuclear weapon.
05:09This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the
05:14strength and might of the United States Armed Forces.
05:17I built and rebuilt our military in my first administration,
05:22and there is no military on Earth even close to its power,
05:27strength or sophistication.
05:29My administration has taken every possible step to minimize
05:33the risk to U.S. personnel in the region.
05:37Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly,
05:41the Iranian regime seeks to kill.
05:44The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost,
05:48and we may have casualties that often happens in war.
05:52But we're doing this not for now.
05:55We're doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission.
05:59We pray for every service member as they selflessly risk
06:03their lives to ensure that Americans and our children
06:07will never be threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran.
06:10We ask God to protect all of our heroes in harm's way,
06:15and we trust that, with his help, the men and women
06:18of the armed forces will prevail.
06:21We have the greatest in the world, and they will prevail.
06:25To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard,
06:29the armed forces, and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons,
06:35and have complete immunity, or, in the alternative, face certain death.
06:41So, lay down your arms.
06:44You will be treated fairly, with total immunity, or you will face certain death.
06:51Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran,
06:54I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand.
06:58Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home.
07:00It's very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere.
07:05When we are finished, take over your government.
07:07It will be yours to take.
07:10This will be, probably, your only chance for generations.
07:15For many years, you have asked for America's help, but you never got it.
07:20No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight.
07:24Now you have a president who is giving you what you want.
07:27So, let's see how you respond.
07:30America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force.
07:35Now is the time to seize control of your destiny
07:38and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach.
07:44This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.
07:48May God bless the brave men and women of America's armed forces.
07:53May God bless the United States of America.
07:56May God bless you all. Thank you.
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