Donald Trump

A short time ago,

The United States military began major combat operations in Iran.

Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people.

its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.

For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted death to America and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops, and the innocent people in many, many countries.

Among the regime's very first acts was to back a violent takeover of the U.S.

Embassy in Tehran, holding dozens of American hostages for 444 days.

In 1983, Iran's proxies carried out the Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut that killed 241 American military personnel.

In 2000, they knew and were probably involved with the attack on the USS Cole.

Many died.

Iranian forces killed and maimed hundreds of American service members in Iraq.

The regime's proxies have continued to launch countless attacks against American forces stationed in the Middle East in recent years, as well as U.S.

naval and commercial vessels in international shipping lands.

It's been mass terror, and we're not going to put up with it any longer.

This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces.

I built and rebuilt our military in my first administration, and there is no military on Earth even close to its power, strength, or sophistication.

My administration has taken every possible step to minimize the risk to U.S.

personnel in the region.

Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime seeks to kill.

The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties.