Middle East

Trump: 'We were close to a deal, but then Iran backed out'

Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that 'Israel has launched a pre-emptive strike against Iran to remove threats to the state'. The area where a residence of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is located was also hit

28 February 2026

Il presidente degli Stati Uniti Donald Trump annuncia che gli Stati Uniti hanno avviato "importanti operazioni militari" in Iran, in una località sconosciuta, in questo screenshot tratto da un video pubblicato il 28 febbraio 2026. Donald Trump via Truth Social/Handout via REUTERS

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

"The Iranians were close to a deal but then backed out", which is how it came to "the conclusion that Tehran does not want a deal". US President Donald Trump said this in a conversation with Axios journalist Barak Ravid. This would be the motivation for the attack in the early hours of Saturday 28 February. When Trump himself, in a video posted on Truth, said: 'We have begun a major operation in Iran. The goal is to defend Americans by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime'. And again: 'We will destroy their missiles and make sure Iran is nuclear-free. The regime will learn shortly that you must not challenge the strength of the American military,' the US president added, assuring that he had taken all measures to try to minimise the risks to Americans engaged in this 'noble mission'.

The president oversaw the launch of what he called a 'major combat operation' in Iran from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump was joined in Palm Beach by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who have spent many hours in recent weeks discussing Iran options with the president.

The group used a security room in the estate to monitor the start of what Trump described as a 'massive' campaign in Iran, according to a source familiar with the matter.

"All I want is freedom for the Iranian people," Trump said in a brief phone interview with the Washington Post shortly after 4am. "I want a secure nation, and that's what we're going to have," the president said in his first notable statements since announcing the attack on Iran.

US Congress splits

Congress is split over the attack on Iran. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, an enemy of the president, speaks of an 'act of war without congressional authorisation'. Democratic Senator Rube Gallego, on the other hand, points out how one can 'support the democratic movement and the Iranians without sending troops'. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, celebrates the attack by calling it 'justified and due', while the other conservative Roger Wicker deemed it 'a necessary operation to protect Americans and their interests'.

Instead, House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a memo that the so-called 'gang of eight', the Congressional leaders who by law are supposed to be briefed by the administration on sensitive intelligence matters, "were briefed in detail earlier this week that military action might be necessary to protect American troops and citizens in Iran. Johnson added, "I have received updates from Secretary Rubio subsequently and will remain in close contact with the president and the War Department as this operation unfolds."

Trump e l’Iran: escalation sul nucleare

Joint operation

American and Israeli media report that the ongoing operation in Iran is a joint US-Israeli operation, which would target an Iranian presidential compound. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, however, has reportedly been taken to a safe location. A US official confirmed that the United States is participating in Israeli attacks against Iran and that military operations are taking placeby land and sea.

Earlier, Defence Minister Israel Katz had announced that 'Israel has launched a pre-emptive strike against Iran to remove threats to the state'. Consequently, he added, 'missile and drone attacks against the State of Israel and its civilian population are expected in the near future'. Pursuant to his authority under the Civil Defence Law, Israeli Defence Minister Katz 'has now signed a special order under which a special state of emergency will be imposed on the home front throughout the territory of the State of Israel', the ministry announced.

Israele e Usa attaccano l’Iran
Photogallery12 foto

The current attack will be more extensive than the June raids against Iranian nuclear facilities, reports the New York Times citing administration officials.

The Iranian news agency Fars reported loud explosions in the capital of the Islamic Republic. According to the agency, 'three explosions' occurred in the centre of the Iranian capital, near Pasteur Street. The Ministry of Intelligence complex on Shahid Araghi Street in north-east Tehran was attacked. The attacks also hit the area where a residence of the supreme leader Ali Khamenei, the Supreme National Security Council and the presidential office are located.

Iran tra armata Usa e dialogo

Israel has closed its airspace

Israel has closed its airspace after launching a 'pre-emptive' attack against Iran, according to the Israeli Airports Authority. The measure was taken in anticipation of a possible Iranian response with missiles and drones, as already indicated by the Israeli Defence Ministry when giving notice of the military operation and the declaration of a state of emergency in the country.

The Israeli army has announced that it has struck a number of positions of the pro-Iranian Shia movement Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. "In response to Hezbollah's repeated violations of ceasefire agreements, the Israeli military is striking Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon," the Israeli military wrote on Telegram.