Trump warns US could strike cultural sites in Iran, but Pompeo says only lawful targets will be hit
- Trump said the US would use its ‘brand new beautiful’ military equipment on 52 targets if Iran retaliates for the killing of Qasem Soleimani
- A growing number of Democrats have said the Republican president’s action is bringing the United States to the brink of war
In a sabre-rattling tweet that defended Friday’s US drone strike assassination of a powerful Iranian general in Iraq, Trump said 52 represents the number of Americans held hostage at the US embassy in Tehran for more than a year starting in late 1979.
Trump said some of these sites are “at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!”
Late on Saturday night, the president tweeted again, this time warning Iran that the US will hit Iran “harder than they have ever been hit before!”
Trump followed up with another tweet, saying the US would use its “brand new beautiful” military equipment “without hesitation” if the Iranians retaliate.
Trump spoke out after pro-Iran factions ramped up pressure on US installations across Iraq with missiles and warnings to Iraqi troops – part of an outburst of fury over the killing of Qasem Soleimani, described as the second most-powerful man in Iran.