The United States and Israel attacked Iran over the weekend, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and sparking a widening military conflict that is threatening to plunge the region into a prolonged war.
At least 550 people have been killed in Iran since the U.S.-Israeli assault began. Iran launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. and Israeli targets across the Middle East. Four U.S. troops were killed in one of those strikes in Kuwait. At least 10 people have been killed in Israel so far.
Kuwait forces also mistakenly shot down three American fighter jets during an Iranian counteroffensive, the U.S. Central Command said. All six crew members ejected safely and are in stable condition.
At the White House on Monday, President Trump defended ordering the U.S. strikes without congressional authorization, saying Iran’s refusal to halt its pursuit of nuclear weapons combined with a growing ballistic missile program posed “an intolerable threat to the Middle East but also to the American people.”
Trump said that he expects the U.S. military campaign — dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” — will last four to five weeks, but added that the U.S. has the capability to go “far longer than that.” The president also mourned the deaths of the U.S. service members and vowed to continue the mission in their honor.
In a video posted on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump said that the American casualties were expected and warned more were “likely.”
“Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends, that’s the way it is,” Trump said.
He also urged Iranians to seize control of their government once the U.S.-Israeli military operation is over. “The hour of your freedom is at hand,” he said. “This will probably be your only chance for generations.”
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