What Iowa officials said in response to 'massive' U.S. attack on Iran

Kyle Werner

The United States has launched military strikes and "major combat operations" against Iran, targeting the country's missile capabilities, President Donald Trump said.

"Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people," Trump said Saturday, Feb. 28, calling the strikes "a massive and ongoing operation."

Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, was directly targeted, a Middle Eastern official told USA TODAY. Khamenei survived the attacks, “as far as I know," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told NBC News.

“All high-ranking officials are alive,” Araqchi said. “So everybody is now in its position, and we are handling this situation, and everything is fine.”

The U.S. joined Israel in the attack. According to U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, President Trump "failed" to provide that “minimum level of leadership” by failing to explain his goals to the American public.

Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes, hitting American and Israeli targets inlcuding a U.S. Naval base in Bahrain. Iran said its enemies would be "decisively defeated."

Here is what Iowa's leaders and lawmakers have said about the attack on Iran:

Gov. Kim Reynolds is 'praying for' soldiers

Gov. Kim Reynolds posted on social media Saturday that she and her husband are praying for Iowa National Guard Soldiers currently stationed in the Middle East "as the United States executes this mission."

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, Sen. Chuck Grassley 'closely monitor' attack

U.S. Sen Chuck Grassley also offered prayers to U.S. troops and said he is closely monitoring the attack on Iran. Grassley said a regime change was "badly needed" in a post on X.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst said in an X post that "President Trump is standing up for American lives that have been taken and targeted by the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies."

She also said the attack is "critical" to "make a more peaceful Middle East and world."

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn staunchly defends 'Operation Epic Fury'

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa's 3rd Congressional District said on X that "Operation EPIC FURY" is a consequence of Iran killing Americans, attacking allies, and seeking nuclear weapons.

"At every turn, Iran’s regime slapped away peace talks, launched weapons against the US and our allies, and slaughtered thousands of Iranians who bravely stood up against the regime," Nunn wrote.

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson said attack 'protects againts tyrannical regime'

U.S. Rep Ashley Hinson of Iowa's 2nd Congressional District and a candidate for U.S. Senate, said the attack will "protect American interests from the tyrannical Iranian regime," in a post on X.

"Under this president, Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon," she wrote.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird 'thankful' for Trump's leadership and 'readiness to act'

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird offered her prayers in a post on X, saying that she's "thankful for President Trump's leadership, his efforts to negoitaiate peace, and his readiness to act when needed."

What Iowa Democratic candidates for U.S. House, Senate said about Iran attack

State Sen. Zach Wahls, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, released a statement saying, "Congress must invoke the War Powers Act to prevent our country from being dragged into another war of foreign regime change."

He also said his generation grew up "witnessing and experiencing the horrors" of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and that "we cannot repeat those mistakes in Iran."

Josh Turek, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, said in a post on X that "while there is no question the Iranian regime is brutal and repressive, bombing Iran is not the same thing as bringing lasting change to the country."

Turek also said an attack should not happen without Congressional approval.

This article was updated to include new information.

USA Today reporting contributed to this article.

Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at [email protected].