WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump warned that military action against Iran could extend beyond a month as Tehran retaliated against ongoing strikes by targeting U.S. allies in the Gulf and attacking the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Iran Conflict Escalates
The United States urged American citizens to leave all Middle Eastern nations from Egypt eastward shortly before two drones struck the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, prompting Trump to vow a swift response without providing details.
Explosions were heard throughout Tehran overnight as fighter jets flew over the Iranian capital, and the Pentagon reported achieving air superiority over the country, which has been ruled by Islamic clerics opposed to the United States since 1979.
Tehran launched missile and drone attacks that halted liquefied natural gas production at Qatar’s state-run energy firm and threatened to disrupt a vital shipping lane. Revolutionary Guards General Sardar Jabbari stated, “We will burn any ship that tries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” a waterway through which approximately 20 percent of the world’s seaborne oil travels.
Trump stated the war, which began Saturday with a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was progressing “substantially” ahead of schedule, but the U.S. is prepared for a prolonged conflict. “From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that,” Trump said.
The president outlined the operation’s objectives: destroying Iran’s missiles, navy, and nuclear program, and halting its support for armed groups in the region. He noted that toppling the Islamic republic was not among the stated goals, despite earlier urging Iranians to overthrow their government.
Saudi Arabia intercepted eight more drones in two cities, including the capital, on Tuesday, following an attack that already closed one of the region’s largest oil refineries. The Saudi defense ministry confirmed the two drones attacked the U.S. embassy, causing “a limited fire and minor material damage.”
Trump told NewsNation, “you’ll find out soon” how the United States would respond.
The U.S. mission in Riyadh advised citizens in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dharan to shelter in place, while the State Department ordered non-emergency staff and families to leave Bahrain, Jordan, and Iraq.
Qatar reported shooting down two Iranian bombers, marking the first instance of a Gulf Arab country downing aircraft from Iran.
For the second day, the Israeli military carried out strikes on Lebanon, targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah after the militant group claimed responsibility for rocket and drone attacks on Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said strikes with the United States on Iran would continue but not become “an endless war.”
“It may take some time, but it’s not going to take years,” Netanyahu told Fox News.
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