Iran War Day 34 | ‘Return to the Stone Age’: Trump sets 2-week deadline to ‘eliminate’ Tehran after missile attack on Israel | world News

“The situation has been going on for 47 years and should have been handled long before I came into office. I did many things during my two terms in office to stop Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. And perhaps, most importantly, I killed General Qassem Soleimani in my first term. He was an evil genius, a brilliant human being; however, he was the father of the roadside bomb.”

Continuous attacks on Iran: Trump, in his 19-minute address, said the US was “going to be done” and said the US would attack Iran “very forcefully” in the next two weeks, bringing them back to the Stone Age, where they belong. Trump said that America has destroyed Iran’s navy and air force and crippled its army.

In a primetime address to the nation, Trump announced, “Tonight, I’m pleased to say that we are about to accomplish these key strategic objectives.”

Trump said, “We’ve done it all. Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone. Their missiles have simply been used up or destroyed. Overall, these actions will cripple Iran’s military, crush their ability to support terrorists, and deprive them of the ability to build a nuclear bomb.”

Iran’s President’s letter to Americans: Addressing Americans directly through a letter, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian said the Iranian people hold “no animosity” toward Americans. In his letter, he questioned whether the war truly serves US interests, urging Americans to think about whether continued military action is benefiting civilians or whether it merely serves Trump’s geopolitical ambitions.

Trump’s aim in Iran:

According to a CNN report, the White House had earlier issued a press release describing the US’s objectives for Iran, which are eliminating Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and production capacity, destroying its navy, ending its support for terrorist proxies, and ensuring that the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism can never acquire nuclear weapons.

Trump remembered 13 American soldiers: the US president remembered the 13 American soldiers martyred in the war. Trump said, “As we celebrate this progress, we think especially of the 13 American warriors who have given their lives in this fight to prevent our children from facing a nuclear Iran.” “We salute them, and now we must honour them by fulfilling the mission for which they gave their lives.”

Trump urges allies to capture Hormuz: Trump in his address… Urged allies to “must up some belated courage” and regain control of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the US imports almost no oil from the Strait of Hormuz and will not in the future. “We don’t need this, we don’t need this,” he said. He said countries that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz “should take care of that route”.

He said the strait “will naturally open” once the conflict ends. “Iran has been essentially destroyed — the hard part has been done, so this should be easy, and in any event, when this conflict is over, the strait will naturally open; it will naturally open,” Trump said in a primetime address to the nation. “They want to be able to sell oil, because all they have to do is try and rebuild.”

Trump thanks America’s Middle East allies: In his address, Trump also thanked his allies, Israel and the Gulf countries. “I want to thank our partners in the Middle East – Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. They ‘ve been great and we will not let them fail in any way.

Trump says America doesn’t need NATO: Trump said Wednesday that the US does not need help from its NATO allies, saying he reached out only to see if they would “step up”.

“To be honest, I was really asking because I wanted to see what they would do. We didn’t need them; we got them out of Iran, and the last thing I needed was NATO moving our way,” Trump said during an Easter lunch at the White House, according to video posted online by a CNN Business Insider reporter.
Once again calling NATO a “paper tiger”, Trump said: “We didn’t need them, but I asked anyway.”

The US Embassy in Iraq issued a statement: The US Embassy in Iraq issued a statement saying that Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq “may intend to launch attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24–48 hours.”.

It listed potential targets as “American citizens, businesses, universities, diplomatic facilities, energy infrastructure, hotels, airports, and other locations belonging to the United States, as well as Iraqi institutions and civilian targets.”

Attacks on Israel continue: Iran continued its attacks against Israel on Thursday, setting off airstrike sirens after Trump said it had destroyed Iran’s military. The Lebanese armed group said its fighters fired rockets at Israeli troops in the settlements of Al Malikiyyah and Yaroun at 6:10 a.m. local time.

Oil prices rose: Brent crude, which had fallen below $100 a barrel, rose 5 per cent to $106.29 on Wednesday, while West Texas Intermediate jumped more than 4 per cent to $104.29.

Middle East Update: The Saudi Defence Ministry said its air defences had intercepted and destroyed four drones. Meanwhile, the UAE Defence Ministry said it is working to prevent incoming missile and drone threats.

In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry advised people to “remain calm and move to the nearest safe place” as sirens warned of an incoming attack.