US Pres. Donald Trump. Photo courtesy of Anadolu.
United States President Donald Trump said American forces could destroy Iran within a short period, as he raised pressure on Tehran to reach an agreement.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said the United States had the capability to eliminate the country’s infrastructure in a single night and warned of possible strikes if negotiations failed. He also set a deadline, saying key Iranian facilities could be targeted if no deal is reached.
Despite the threat, Trump said Washington is now engaging with an Iranian counterpart that is willing to negotiate and described the talks as being conducted in good faith. He added that several countries are assisting efforts to end the conflict.
The US president also disclosed details of a recent military recovery mission involving a downed service member, which mobilized more than a hundred aircraft, including bombers, fighter jets, and refueling planes. He said special operations forces were also deployed.
According to John Ratcliffe, intelligence units carried out a deception strategy to mislead Iranian forces while locating the missing personnel. Trump said the operation carried significant risks and resulted in the destruction of aircraft that became immobilized during extraction to prevent sensitive equipment from falling into enemy hands.
Trump said US forces have conducted thousands of sorties and struck numerous targets across Iran in recent weeks, marking an escalation in military activity. He added that a fighter jet was lost during the campaign.
He also criticized a media leak that revealed details about the earlier rescue, saying it compromised ongoing operations. Trump warned that authorities are working to identify the source and may pursue legal action on national security grounds.
The president further expressed frustration with NATO and several allied countries for not supporting efforts in securing key routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. As the conflict continues, US and Israeli strikes have led to heavy casualties, while Iran has launched retaliatory attacks across the region.
