What is the story about?
As the tensions in West Asia continue to escalate, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that a nuclear-armed Iran would lead to the destruction of Israel. While commenting on the need to dismantle Iran's nuclear program,
Trump insisted that a nuclear-armed Iran would destabilise West Asia.
"If they (Iran) had a nuclear weapon, there'd be no Israel, there'd be no Middle East, and they would have absolutely shot at us. We'll see what happens. But we hit them hard yesterday. We're going to hit them again hard today. We'll see what happens with the deal," Trump said.
"We were really close to a deal, but they keep tapping us along. They keep playing us for suckers because you know what? They dealt with some very stupid presidents... I'm embarrassed to say it. Some very stupid people were sitting here," he furthered.
The American leader went on to state that the United States would resume attacks on Iran and would continue to do so until Tehran agree to a peace deal. "We're going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard," he said. Trump emphasised that Iran's downing of a US Apache helicopter provided grounds for renewed military action.
"Based on the helicopter, I guess we have the right to do that," he told reporters. Trump told reporters that the United States had already launched strikes and would continue military operations against Iran. "We hit them hard yesterday. We're going to hit them again hard today, in case you miss it, in case you don't turn on your television set, and we'll see what happens with the deal," he said.
It is pertinent to note that the recent phase of escalation came after the US carried out airstrikes on Iran's military targets located along the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated and downed an Apache helicopter. Tehran went on to maintain that it responded with strikes on a US base in Jordan and other Gulf targets.
"If they (Iran) had a nuclear weapon, there'd be no Israel, there'd be no Middle East, and they would have absolutely shot at us. We'll see what happens. But we hit them hard yesterday. We're going to hit them again hard today. We'll see what happens with the deal," Trump said.
"We were really close to a deal, but they keep tapping us along. They keep playing us for suckers because you know what? They dealt with some very stupid presidents... I'm embarrassed to say it. Some very stupid people were sitting here," he furthered.
Trump makes his ambition clear
The American leader went on to state that the United States would resume attacks on Iran and would continue to do so until Tehran agree to a peace deal. "We're going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard," he said. Trump emphasised that Iran's downing of a US Apache helicopter provided grounds for renewed military action.
"Based on the helicopter, I guess we have the right to do that," he told reporters. Trump told reporters that the United States had already launched strikes and would continue military operations against Iran. "We hit them hard yesterday. We're going to hit them again hard today, in case you miss it, in case you don't turn on your television set, and we'll see what happens with the deal," he said.
It is pertinent to note that the recent phase of escalation came after the US carried out airstrikes on Iran's military targets located along the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated and downed an Apache helicopter. Tehran went on to maintain that it responded with strikes on a US base in Jordan and other Gulf targets.
