Trump said Washington’s goal was “eliminating imminent threats” from Iran, and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the action as a “preventive strike”. “The United States’ military began major combat operations in Iran,” Trump said in a video message posted on his social media site while he spent the weekend at his Florida golf club. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Israel for talks on Iran on Monday, the State Department said. **- ‘Very big problem’ -**Trump in his State of the Union address Tuesday alleged Iran was developing missiles that could strike the United States. Increasing pressure, Rubio on Friday designated Iran a state sponsor of wrongful detentions, a new blacklist, over jailings of US citizens.

Source: Punch February 28, 2026 08:29 UTC