Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure. Addressing the situation, US President Donald Trump said the decision was based on intelligence assessments suggesting that Iran was preparing to strike first.
Speaking about the operation, Trump claimed that negotiations with Iran were underway but expressed skepticism about Tehran’s intentions. According to him, there was a strong belief within his administration that Iran was planning an imminent attack.
Trump stated: “We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first… If we didn’t do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that.”
He elaborated that based on the direction of the talks, he believed Iran planned an assault. “I think they were going to attack first. And I didn’t want that to happen. So if anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand, but Israel was ready and we were ready.”
Trump described the Iranian regime as “bad people” and highlighted the decisive impact of the US-Israel operations, saying: “We’ve had a very powerful impact because virtually everything they have has been knocked out now. Their missile count is going way down… They no longer have air protection. They no longer have any detection facilities at all. They’re gonna be in for a lot of hurt.”
These comments came amid ongoing strikes, with Trump insisting the action was necessary to avoid absorbing the first blow and to degrade Iran’s capabilities severely.