US President: Strikes on Iran "justified" and will be "powerful and wide-ranging"

Washington, Jan 1 (KUNA) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the strikes his military is currently carrying out against Iran are “powerful and wide-ranging,” following Tehran’s attempts to target commercial shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that “the United States is currently striking Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz,” describing them as “powerful and wide-ranging.” He affirmed that the U.S. strikes were “fully justified” and were in response to a failed Iranian attempt to lay new naval mines in the strait, after they had been removed or completely detonated by the U.S. military. He added that the strikes were also in response to Iran launching eight missiles, all of which were successfully intercepted, targeting a U.S. military base in Jordan. Trump warned Iran against retaliating against the U.S. strikes, insisting that it “will face even stronger and far more severe strikes,” adding that “a larger attack awaits Iran, and if it happens, little will remain of it.” (End) A.M.M. / M.A.A.