"Let me tell you, we have won. People usually don't want to declare victory too soon, but we have won. Everything concluded within the first hour of the conflict," US President Donald Trump stated at a rally in Hebron, Kentucky on 11/3.
He asserted that the offensive against Iran was a major success, with the US destroying or neutralizing 58 Iranian naval warships. He also described the US forces' actions as "a stroll to eliminate very evil individuals."
"This should have been done 47 years ago. Everyone knows Iran is very strong. They would try to seize the entire Middle East and defeat Israel. But they did not anticipate the blow that struck them, unaware they were being attacked by the US military," the US President remarked.
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US President Donald Trump at a rally in Hebron, Kentucky on 11/3. *Photo: AFP* |
Despite his declaration of victory, Trump also stated that the US would not withdraw prematurely and would continue military operations until its mission was accomplished. He did not elaborate on what this "mission to be completed" in Iran entailed.
"We do not want to return there every two years. Over the past 11 days, our military has essentially devastated Iran, a very resilient nation," Trump added.
The conflict began on 28/2, when the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran. Tehran retaliated with strikes on military targets and energy infrastructure across several Middle Eastern nations. Approximately 2,000 people have died in the 11 days of hostilities, including over 1,300 in Iran and more than 600 in Lebanon.
Speaking to reporters in Washington on 11/3, Trump reiterated that Iran was on the brink of defeat. He warned that the US could strike areas in Tehran and elsewhere, making it nearly impossible for Iran to rebuild. "We do not want that to happen," he stated.
The US President has issued inconsistent messages regarding the operation's objectives and the conflict's duration. He previously suggested the war could last 4-5 weeks, but in an interview with Axios yesterday, he declared he could "end it any time I want" as "only a few minor things" remained for airstrikes in Iran.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military indicated that the campaign was far from over, stating they still had "a series of targets to address."
Ali Fadavi, an advisor to the Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stated on 11/3 that the US and Israel "must consider the possibility of becoming entangled in a prolonged war of attrition, which could devastate the entire US and global economy."
By Huyen Le (Reuters, Anadolu, AFP)
