Trump defends Iran strikes, offers objectives for military operation President Trump publicly defended the U.S. military operation in Iran on Monday, outlining its goals as part of a broader strategy to counter perceived threats from the Islamic Republic. His remarks came ahead of a Medal of Honor ceremony, marking the first time he has addressed reporters since the strikes began over the weekend. Trump emphasized that the operation aims to dismantle Iran’s missile capabilities, neutralize its naval forces, prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons, and disrupt its support for global terrorism. He provided no new details about the duration or scale of the strikes, which have already resulted in the deaths of four American soldiers. Trump acknowledged that the operation is progressing faster than initial projections, stating, “Whatever the time is, it’s OK. Whatever it takes, we will always and we have from right, from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that.” The president reiterated that diplomatic efforts to avoid conflict had repeatedly failed, with Iran’s ballistic missile program posing a “colossal threat” to U.S. interests and overseas military bases. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth framed the U.S.-Israeli action as a response to Iran’s “yearslong targeting” of American forces and interests worldwide. He asserted, “We didn’t start this war, but under President Trump we’re finishing it.” The operation, he added, is focused on eliminating “missile threats, destroy the navy, no nukes,” with no intention of engaging in prolonged conflict or nation-building. Gen.#iran #trump #pete_hegseth #gen_dan_caine #medal_of_honor_ceremony
