File photo: U.S. President Donald Trump
President of the United States Donald Trump The United States said on Wednesday that its operations against Iran had exceeded expectations, giving it a rating of “about 15” out of 10 and pledging to continue cooperating with Israel on the operation.“To put it mildly, we’re doing a great job on the front lines of the war. Somebody said on a scale of 10, how would you rate it? I said 15,” Trump told tech executives at the White House.He claimed that Iran’s leadership was being eroded. “We are now in a very good position and their leadership is developing rapidly. Everyone who seems to want to be a leader ends up dead,” he said, adding that Tehran’s ballistic missile arsenal was being “quickly eliminated.”
justification of war
Trump reiterated that the offensive is aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. “When crazy people have nuclear weapons, bad things happen,” he said, calling the previous Obama-era nuclear deal “the worst deal ever” and “the path to nuclear weapons.”He vowed to “continue to advance” the coalition air strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the day the conflict began, AFP reported.The White House said Iran’s civilian leadership was “completely collapsing” and was “paying a bloody price,” but press secretary Carolyn Leavitt declined to confirm whether Trump was seeking regime change. She said he was “actively considering” the U.S. role in Iran after the current operation ends, AFP reported.
Expanding conflicts and global impact
A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship in international waters, while Israel launched new strikes against Hezbollah positions in Tehran and Lebanon. Iran has launched missiles at Israel and Gulf countries.The war has killed more than 1,000 people in Iran, more than 50 in Lebanon and about 12 in Israel, the Associated Press said, citing officials. The United Nations says 100,000 people have fled Tehran in the past two days alone.Oil prices soared after Iran attacked traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global markets.
Domestic and diplomatic pressure
Trump’s stance has drawn criticism, especially given his earlier campaign pledge to “not start new wars.” The U.S. Senate is preparing to vote on a war powers resolution, seeking congressional approval for further action, but the chances are slim.Levitt denied reports that Trump agreed to arm Kurdish separatists in Iran, calling them “false,” although she confirmed that Trump had spoken with Kurdish leaders about U.S. bases in Iraq.Trump also mentioned Venezuela, saying U.S. involvement there “has worked very well” and that oil extraction would benefit both countries.Despite mounting casualties and regional instability, Trump insisted the United States was “in very good shape right now” and would continue military operations.
