Iran has launched three barrages of missiles toward northern Israel early on Thursday, according to Israeli Channel 12.
Air raid sirens sounded across wide areas of northern Israel, while the channel said interception efforts were being carried out.
Iranian state television claimed that Iranian missiles reached the port city of Haifa minutes after US President Donald Trump’s remarks about Iran having only a limited number of missile launchers left.
Earlier Thursday, in a televised address from the White House, Donald Trump said Iran had “very few” missile launchers left, adding that its ability to launch missiles and drones had been “dramatically curtailed.”
Trump also told Americans he expects the war on Iran to continue for another two to three weeks, but said he believes the United States is nearing the completion of its military objectives in Iran.
“Tonight, I’m pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” he said during an address to the nation on Operation Epic Fury.
In the past four weeks, Trump said US armed forces have delivered “swift, decisive, overwhelming victory”.
“I’ve made clear from the beginning of Operation Epic Fury that we will continue until our objectives are fully achieved. Thanks to the progress we’ve made, I can say tonight that we are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly, very shortly.
“We’re going to hit them extremely hard. Over the next two to three weeks, we’re going to bring them back to the Stone Age, where they belong,” he said.
Other key points from Trump’s speech:
- “We never said regime change was our goal. It change because of the original leader’s death. They’re all dead. The new group is less radical and much more reasonable.”
- “If no deal is made, we have our eyes on key targets. If there is no deal, we are going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard, and probably simultaneously.”
- “We have not hit their oil, even though that’s the easiest target of all, because it would not give them even a small… a chance of survival or rebuilding. But we could hit it, and it would be gone, and there’s not a thing they could do about it.”
Trump’s fire and brimstone speech is unlikely to bring peace any closer as he has not offered any suggested off-road, other than his 15-point plan which Iran is unlikely to accept. He has also made it clear that his plan is not negotiable.
Brent crude, which had fallen back below $100 a barrel on Wednesday, has surged as much as five percent to hit $106.29, while West Texas Intermediate has jumped more than 4 percent to as high as $104.29.
Regional tensions have escalated since February 28, when the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran that has killed more than 1 340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targetting Israel and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.
A total of 13 US service members have been killed and about 303 others have been injured since the operation began.
Trump also remembered the 13 American service members “who have laid down their lives in this fight.”
“Now, we must honour them by completing the mission for which they gave their lives.”In the meantime, Trump said that discussions with Iran are “ongoing.”
The US is going to hit “each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard, and probably simultaneously,” he warned if there is no deal.
“We have not hit their oil, even though that’s the easiest target of all, because it would not give them even a small chance of survival or rebuilding. But we could hit it and it would be gone, and there’s not a thing they could do about it,” he said.
Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said the US imports “almost no oil” through the waterway, adding it “won’t be taking any in the future. We don’t need it. We haven’t needed it.”
“We’ve beaten and completely decimated Iran. They are decimated both militarily and economically and every other way. And the countries of the world that do receive oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage. They must cherish it. They must grab it and cherish it.”
Trump suggested to countries that cannot get fuel either to buy oil from the US or “build up some delayed courage” and “go to the Strait and just take it.”
“Protect it, use it for yourselves. Iran has been essentially decimated. The hard part is done. So it should be easy. And in any event, when this conflict is over, the Strait will open up naturally. It will just open up naturally,” he said. – AA
