US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he had spoken directly with senior Iranian officials, who urged him to halt ongoing US air strikes, but warned that Washington would launch another wave of attacks if Tehran refuses to accept a deal proposed by American negotiators.
Speaking during a telephone interview with Fox News from the White House Situation Room, Trump revealed that Iranian officials had asked for the bombing campaign to stop. He stressed that any pause depends on Iran’s willingness to reach an agreement.
Trump issued his strongest warning when asked what would happen if Tehran rejected the proposed deal. “We will bomb them hard tomorrow night,” he said.
The US president disclosed that the latest strikes targeted locations as close as 40 miles from Tehran and involved the launch of 49 Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets inside Iran. He also confirmed that US fighter aircraft were operating over Iranian territory, striking radar installations and air defense systems in the country’s southwest.
Addressing questions about the status of the ceasefire, Trump dismissed suggestions that it remained in effect, saying: “This was the most violated ceasefire in the history of the world.”
