WASHINGTON/TEHRAN — A decade-old tweet from President Donald Trump predicting that Barack Obama would attack Iran has gone viral Saturday, as the United States and Israel launched a massive coordinated military offensive against the Islamic Republic.
The resurfaced post, originally published on X (then Twitter) in 2013, reads: "Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly-not skilled!"
Social media users have flooded the platform with screenshots of the decade-old prediction, noting its eerie relevance as American and Israeli missiles now rain down on Iranian targets.
'Operation Epic Fury' Underway
The dramatic escalation began early Saturday when US and Israeli forces launched a coordinated missile strike dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" , targeting key government and military installations across Iran. Massive explosions have been reported not only in Tehran but across multiple Iranian cities in what analysts describe as the most significant military action against Iran since the 1979 revolution.
Initial targets included the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Iranian president's administrative complex. While Khamenei is believed to have been moved to a secure location following the strikes, the extent of damage and casualties remains unclear.
Confirming the attacks, President Trump asserted that Tehran "can never have a nuclear weapon" and stated, "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime."
Iran Strikes Back
Within hours of the initial assault, Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes against Israel and multiple US military installations across the Gulf region, rapidly expanding the confrontation beyond Iranian borders.
According to reports from the region:
· Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, UAE, was struck by Iranian ballistic missiles
· The US Fifth Fleet service center in Bahrain's Juffair area came under attack
· Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hosts US Central Command forward headquarters, was targeted
· Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait also reported missile impacts
Loud explosions were heard and flashes were seen in surrounding areas as air defense systems attempted to intercept incoming projectiles. Casualty figures from these strikes are not yet available.
The 2013 Context: A Prediction Revisited
When Trump posted his original tweet in 2013, Barack Obama was beginning his second term amid stalled nuclear negotiations with Iran. According to a 2016 White House retrospective, the P5+1 (the United States, UK, Germany, France, Russia, and China, facilitated by the EU) had been making efforts "to engage in serious and substantive negotiations with Iran with the goal of reaching a verifiable diplomatic resolution."
The election of Hasan Rouhani as Iranian president that year shifted dynamics, leading to secret talks in Oman and eventual agreement on the Joint Plan of Action — an interim deal that froze Iran's nuclear program in exchange for modest sanctions relief.
Trump's criticism at the time suggested Obama would ultimately resort to military action due to ineffective diplomacy. Instead, it was Trump who, in 2018, withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — the very deal Obama's negotiations produced — marking a sharp reversal in US policy.
Historical Irony
The viral resurfacing of Trump's tweet carries layers of irony. The man who criticized Obama's diplomatic approach as insufficiently skilled ultimately abandoned diplomacy altogether, pursued a "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions, and has now ordered the very military action he once predicted from his predecessor.
"Trump's 2013 tweet was always about attacking Obama's negotiating ability," noted Middle East policy expert Trita Parsi. "The fact that it's now resurfacing during an actual US-Israeli war with Iran is the kind of historical irony that social media was made for."
Regional Fallout
The rapidly expanding conflict has thrown the region into chaos. Gulf states, hosting critical US military infrastructure, now find themselves unwilling participants in a major power confrontation. Multiple air bases across the Arabian Peninsula have activated emergency protocols, and civilian airspace throughout the region has been effectively closed.
Israel, which declared a nationwide state of emergency prior to the strikes, now faces direct Iranian retaliation. Air raid sirens have sounded across multiple Israeli cities as defense systems activate to intercept incoming missiles.
Khamenei's Fate
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is believed to have been moved to a secure, undisclosed location following the strikes on Tehran, according to regional intelligence sources. His condition and ability to command the regime's response remain unknown, creating a potential power vacuum at the worst possible moment for Iranian leadership.
The attacks came as diplomatic efforts were reportedly underway between Tehran and Washington concerning a renewed nuclear deal — efforts now rendered moot by the thunder of missiles.
What Comes Next
As the region braces for further escalation, the resurfaced tweet serves as a reminder of how quickly geopolitical predictions can be overturned — and how today's critics can become tomorrow's protagonists.
The White House has announced that President Trump will address the nation from the Oval Office later this evening. Iran's Supreme National Security Council is reportedly in emergency session, though Khamenei's absence from that meeting has raised questions about who is actually in command.
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This is a rapidly developing story. Check back for updates.
Reporting contributed by Fox News foreign correspondents and wire services.
