Trump on Israel-US Operations in Iran: 'We Tried to Make a Deal'

US President Donald Trump has confirmed and defended ongoing American military operations in Iran, describing them as necessary to counter what he called a growing missile and nuclear threat.

In an eight-minute video posted on Truth Social, Trump said the United States had launched “major combat operations” inside Iran and confirmed direct US involvement in the attack.

The president claimed Iran had “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.” He described the US campaign as a “massive” operation designed to prevent what he called a “very wicked radical dictatorship from threatening America.”

Trump said Washington had repeatedly sought a diplomatic solution before resorting to military action.

“We sought repeatedly to make a deal. We tried,” he said, arguing that Tehran was “not willing to give us what we have to have.” He reiterated that Iran “cannot have nuclear weapons.”

The president added that US forces would move decisively against Iran’s missile capabilities, saying, “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally obliterated.”

Just one day earlier, Trump told reporters at the White House that no “final decision” had been made on whether to strike Iran, though he expressed frustration with Tehran’s negotiating position during recent nuclear talks.

Indirect negotiations between US and Iranian officials were held earlier this week in Geneva, with both sides signaling limited progress toward a potential agreement. Despite that, Washington has steadily increased pressure on Tehran, with Trump previously stating that the US was “ready, willing, and able” to act “with speed and violence, if necessary.”

When asked about the risk of a prolonged regional conflict, Trump acknowledged the uncertainty. “There’s always a risk,” he said. “When there’s war, there’s a risk of anything, both good and bad.”

The remarks place Trump’s justification of the military campaign at the center of the rapidly escalating crisis, as global attention turns to how Iran may respond.