He said the US military was undertaking a “massive and on-going operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests.”

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the attack in a statement: “My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, a short time ago, Israel and the United States embarked on an operation to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran.”

Netanyahu added: “This murderous terrorist regime must not be armed with nuclear weapons that would allow it to threaten all of humanity. Our joint action will create the conditions for the courageous Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.”