President Donald Trump said Saturday that coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran have achieved their objectives and may pave the way for renewed diplomatic efforts in the Middle East.
In a phone interview with CBS News, Trump suggested the prospects for resolving tensions with Tehran had improved following the military action.
“Much easier now than it was a day ago, obviously,” Trump told CBS News during a phone interview, when asked about the prospect of a diplomatic solution to Iran’s ballistic and nuclear programs.
“Because they are getting beat up badly,” he said.
The United States and Israel carried out what Trump described as a large-scale operation aimed at weakening Iran’s military infrastructure and addressing concerns over its nuclear capabilities.
Earlier in the day, Trump asserted that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, had been killed and called on Iranians to “take back their country.”
The president hailed the military action, calling the strikes “a great day for this country, a great day for the world.”
According to CBS News, which cited unnamed sources, roughly 40 Iranian officials are believed to have been killed in the attacks.
In the same interview, Trump indicated that potential successors to Khamenei exist but did not provide specifics.
“There are some good candidates” to lead Iran in the wake of Khamenei’s death, Trump told CBS News, without elaborating.
Trump said he spent much of the day consulting with senior US officials and international leaders while closely watching Tehran’s reaction.
In response to the strikes, Iran launched ballistic missile attacks against Israel and targeted US allies in other parts of the Middle East.
“It’s what we expected,” Trump said per CBS News. He added that Iran’s retaliation had so far fallen short of US expectations.
“We thought it’d be double,” he said, though he added that the situation remains fluid, according to CBS News.
The United States Central Command reported no American casualties resulting from the operation.
Reaction on Capitol Hill appeared divided along party lines. Republican lawmakers largely backed the president’s decision, while several Democrats called for additional information about the action.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, urged Trump to provide “Congress and the American people with critical details about the scope and immediacy of the threat” that prompted the strikes.
Asked whether he would coordinate with Congress on future Iran-related decisions, Trump responded, “I always want to work with Congress. Always. I’ve always worked with Congress.”
Despite the escalating hostilities, Trump stopped short of labeling the confrontation a formal “war,” emphasizing instead that his administration’s priority is addressing threats to the United States.
