Hours after the U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday,  in what President Donald Trump said was a massive operation to destroy the country’s military capabilities, political leaders and community members shared their thoughts. Sen.John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voiced support f or the operation on social media, saying in part: “President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region.” Operation Epic Fury.President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region.God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel.— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) February 28, 2026 The Philadelphia Police Department also put out a statement: “PPD is monitoring developments overseas along with federal, state, and regional partners. While there are no credible threats to Philadelphia, we’ve increased patrols at religious cultural sites out of caution. Report suspicious activity to 911 or 215-686-TIPS.” PPD is monitoring developments overseas along with federal, state, and regional partners. While there are no credible threats to Philadelphia, we’ve increased patrols at religious cultural sites out of caution. Report suspicious activity to 911 or 215-686-TIPS.— Philadelphia Police Department (@PhillyPolice) February 28, 2026 NBC10’s Neil Fischer spoke with Marjam Vafa of the Philly Iranians about the attack and discussed what it means for Iran’s future. “President Trump said the right words. He said this is not just for now, this is for the future,” said Vafa.Vafa added. “It is a very hard time for the Iranian community right now.” New Jersey State Police put out a statement on social media regarding the attacks that read: “There are no known credible threats to New Jersey at this time. The New Jersey State Police is actively monitoring the situation and will continue working with our federal, state, county, and local partners to ensure the safety of New Jersey’s places of worship.” Meanwhile, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill shared her thoughts in an official statement: The safety and security of New Jerseyans is my number one responsibility. As a former Naval officer and member of the House Armed Services Committee in Congress, I know how seriously we must take any decision to use military force. My office is closely monitoring the situation in Iran, Israel, and elsewhere in the Middle East. At this time, there is no known threat to New Jersey. I am working closely with Attorney General Davenport, Acting Superintendent Hengemuhle, Director Hauck of our State’s Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, and law enforcement leaders throughout our state. As a precautionary measure, law enforcement will increase patrols at houses of worship and other sensitive sites. If you have any safety concerns, please contact local law enforcement.” Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) released the following statement: “Americans don’t want to go to war with Iran.  By launching strikes, President Trump has made the same dangerous and foolish decision President Bush did a generation ago. He put Americans in harm’s way without clearly showing there’s an imminent threat to our national security. He put the Iranian people in harm’s way by calling on them to rise up without a broad coalition of partners to assist in their protection. And Trump once again started a cycle of violence that has already escalated and could spiral out of control. This is unacceptable.  The Senate should vote on Senator Kaine’s War Powers Resolution immediately. I stand ready to do so today.” During an interview on CNN, Kim added, “How many times do the American people need to wake up in the morning and see this president dragging us into another conflict…I have zero confidence in this president who has so flagrantly violated our Constitution. That is why we should have Congress immediately go back into session for the War Powers vote, to reassert the American people’s will.”  Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) offered the following remarks: “The American people don’t want war with Iran. The President never made a case for war, not to the American people, not to Congress, not to our allies overseas.  Instead, this President has conducted an illegal operation and put American troops in harms way and killed untold numbers of civilians on the ground in Iran. Speaker Johnson must immediately hold a vote on the Massie-Khanna Iran War Powers Resolution.Donald Trumps actions are reckless and make the world less safe. If the American people are to be safe, Donald Trump must be impeached.I will monitor the situation as it develops and continue to pray for the safety of our servicemen and women as well as the innocent civilians who will be impacted throughout the region. I encourage everyone to make their voices heard loud and clear, ‘No War with Iran.'” Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) released the following statement:“Trump is the warmonger. He is causing the violence. He’s not the president of peace. He’s the president of war. If America is attacked or our soldiers are put at risk, it’s because of Trump’s desire to go to war. And his refusal to ask Congress or even listen to his own advisors, is because he’s unhinged and doesn’t want cooler heads to prevail. What country will he attack next in an effort to drag America into further wars? There is a reason the Constitution gives Congress—not the President alone—the power to declare war. It’s to avoid a reckless president bombing whatever he wants.” Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) released an official statement reading as follows: “I am praying for the safety of our service members and the many civilians in the Middle East in harm’s way today. President Trump’s military campaign against Iran and call for regime change are the beginning of a reckless new war of choice with no clear strategy and no clear endpoint. This is not how a democracy goes to war. Less than five years after the end of the longest war in American history, the United States is once again staring down another open-ended conflict with a hostile country in the Middle East that could cost the lives of many American service members. This is not a limited, defensive strike, but rather a full-throated declaration of war that does not clearly serve the interests of or reflect the wishes of the American people.          The Iranian regime is evil. It has supported and exported terrorism. It has the blood of many Americans on its hands from its attacks across the decades against American troops and interests, as well as the thousands of Iranians massacred while protesting the regime. However, President Trump and his administration have failed to make the case that it poses an imminent threat to the American people. The administration also failed to extract all they could through diplomacy with a regime that is as weak as it has ever been. This is an illegal war launched without meaningful consultation or the consent of Congress. At a time when we face significant threats from an aggressive China and Russia, choosing to launch a war with Iran brings significant risks, and Congress should rein in this dangerous president before he can do more harm to American service members and national interests.”  Rep. Sarah McBride (DE-AL) released the following statement in response as well: “This president appears determined to drag our country into yet another regime change war overseas rather than addressing problems here at home. Whether a full-scale regional war in the Middle East unfolds today or sometime in the future, this president’s shoot-first-ask-questions-later foreign policy inevitably leads to one place in the end: death, destruction, and destabilization. This president routinely shreds both the progress and potential of diplomacy, just as he did when he destroyed the previous Iran nuclear deal. And just as he has done again this weekend, being far too willing to put the lives of American servicemembers at risk when achievable diplomatic and multilateral solutions exist to prevent a nuclear Iran or to secure the human rights of the Iranian people. Military action should be an option of last resort, not your dessert round as you lounge at your personal resort. Through all of this, he has kept the American people — and Congress — in the dark about the realistic plans, potential risks, and true goals of this operation until it is too late. I’ve opposed reckless military action before and do so again, which is why I believe Congress must immediately reconvene to vote on a War Powers Resolution to prevent this administration from pulling us into yet another forever war.” This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. ...read more read less