TRUMP SAYS US AIMS TO ANNIHILATE IRAN’S MILITARY, OVERTHROW GOVT IN MAJOR ATTACK

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By: Sefiu Ajape

US President Donald Trump announced a major attack against Iran on Saturday, vowing to “annihilate” the country’s navy and missile sites and urging Iranians to overthrow their government.

In a video address following the United States and Israel’s strikes on Iran, Trump made clear that the goal was the destruction of the Islamic Republic’s military and toppling the authorities in power since the 1979 revolution.

“We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally—again—obliterated. We’re going to annihilate their navy,” Trump said in the address from his Florida home, posted to his Truth Social platform.

Speaking directly to Iranians, he said, “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations. The hour of your freedom is at hand.”

Trump also urged Iranian forces to surrender, including the elite Revolutionary Guards tasked with protecting the cleric-run government.

“To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces, and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity or, in the alternative, face certain death.”

He justified the assault on Iran, stating, “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. They attempted to rebuild their nuclear program 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.”

Trump warned ordinary Iranians of the scale of the US bombardment. “Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere.”

The attack followed Trump’s order for the largest military deployment to the Middle East in years. However, he had insisted on Friday that he had not yet decided whether to attack, while his envoys met with Iran’s top diplomat on Thursday toward a deal concerning Tehran’s nuclear program.

Oman’s top diplomat, who mediated Thursday’s Geneva talks, had expressed optimism for compromise, later meeting US Vice President JD Vance and claiming Iran had agreed to zero stockpiling of enriched uranium that could build an atomic bomb—a goal denied by Tehran.

Trump had previously ordered in June that the US military target Iran’s main nuclear sites to support an Israeli campaign.