Donald Trump said on Monday that he personally authorised military strikes on Iran to halt what he described as imminent threats from Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, pledging to continue the offensive for “as long as necessary.”
Speaking at an event in the East Room of the White House, Trump said the decision to attack was made to neutralise what he called escalating dangers posed by the Iranian government, although he did not provide evidence to support claims that the threat was immediate.
“This was our last best chance to strike and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime,” he said.
According to Trump, the strikes have targeted more than 1,000 sites, sunk multiple Iranian warships and resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Independent confirmation of the full extent of the damage and casualties has not been publicly verified.
The president said the operation was progressing faster than expected. While initial projections suggested the campaign could last four to five weeks, he indicated it may continue beyond that timeframe if required.
“We have the strongest and most powerful, by far, military in the world, and we will easily prevail,” Trump said. “Whatever it takes.”
Trump framed the offensive as a pre-emptive effort to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and expanding its long-range missile capabilities allegations Tehran has consistently denied.
He also claimed Iran could soon field ballistic missiles capable of striking the United States. However, Reuters reported last week, citing sources familiar with US intelligence assessments, that such claims are not supported by current intelligence and may be overstated.
In addition to targeting Iran’s weapons infrastructure, Trump said US forces were focused on crippling the country’s navy and curbing its support for militant groups across the region. He added that 10 Iranian ships had been destroyed during the campaign.
The president acknowledged that four American service members had been killed since the start of the operation.
“In their memory, we continue this mission with ferocious, unyielding resolve to crush the threat this terrorist regime poses to the American people,” he said.
The escalation marks a sharp turn from Trump’s earlier pledges to reduce US involvement in overseas conflicts, signalling what could become an extended and increasingly volatile military engagement in the Middle East.