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‘Better not do that’: Trump warns Iran against attack, vows to use ‘force that has never been seen before’
Donald Trump said that reports Iran was planning to respond “very hard” were being closely watched, but he cautioned: “They better not do that.”
US President DonaldTrump on Sunday issued a fresh warning to Iran, saying that any planned retaliation of Tehran would be met with overwhelming military force “that has never been seen before,” as tensions continue to escalate following a joint US–Israel offensive against Iranian targets.
Trump said that reports Iran was planning to respond “very hard” were being closely watched, but he cautioned: “They better not do that, however, because if they do, we will hit them with a force that has never been seen before!” Track US-Iran conflict live updates
Trump’s strongly worded statement comes amid warnings from Iranian officials that they intend to respond to previous strikes with intense force. The US president has repeatedly justified American military action as necessary to “defend the American people”.
The tensions follow a significant joint military operation by the US and Israel that included “major combat operations” in Iran and led to the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some of top Tehran leadership.
In recent remarks after US launched "Operation Epic Fury" on Sturday, Trump has also directed members of Iran’s security forces to lay down their arms or face “certain death,” while urging the Iranian people to rise up and “take over your government” once hostilities subside.
Iran launches fresh strikes
Iran has launched another round of missile and drone strikes targeting US military bases and Israeli sites across the Middle East on Sunday, as retaliation continues following the strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The strikes have triggered explosions and alerts across several Gulf states, with reports of blasts heard in Dubai, Doha and Manama as air defenses engage incoming threats.
The American naval base in Kuwait’s Abdullah Mubarak area was struck by four ballistic missiles and twelve drones, destroying all infrastructure and causing significant casualties among US personnel, according to a statement from the IRGC.
The statement also said that an MST-class combat support ship, carrying fuel for US vessels in the Indian Ocean, was targeted by Iranian Qadr 380 missiles.
The latest operations are being described by Tehran’s military as one of its most intense offensives yet, with multiple bases and strategic targets under fire.
