Trump Claims Iran War Objectives Nearing Completion

Trump Declares Major Gains in Operation Epic Fury

President Trump addressed the nation Tuesday evening, declaring that the United States military’s objectives in its operation against Iran are “nearing completion.” Speaking from the White House, Trump detailed the successes of “Operation Epic Fury,” launched one month prior, which he stated has delivered “swift, decisive, overwhelming victories” against Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terror.

Military Successes Against Iran

According to the President, Iran’s navy has been “gone,” its air force is “in ruins,” and its leaders, described as a “terrorist regime,” are largely deceased. He asserted that the command and control of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is being “decimated,” and the nation’s ability to launch missiles and drones has been “dramatically curtailed.” Furthermore, he claimed Iran’s weapons factories and rocket launchers are being destroyed, leaving “very few of them left.” Trump characterized these achievements as unmatched in warfare history, stating, “Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating large-scale losses.” He contrasted this with America’s performance, asserting, “America, as it has been for 5 years under my presidency, is winning and now winning bigger than ever before.”

Context: Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions and Past Actions

Trump reiterated his long-standing vow to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, citing the regime’s 47-year history of chanting “death to America” and “death to Israel.” He blamed Iran’s proxies for the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing that killed 241 Americans, the deaths of hundreds of U.S. service members from roadside bombs, the attack on the USS Cole, and the recent atrocities in Israel on October 7th. He also mentioned the killing of 45,000 Iranian citizens protesting within the country, calling the regime the “most violent and thuggish regime on Earth.” Trump stated that Iran having nuclear weapons would be an “intolerable threat,” allowing them to conduct terror campaigns from behind a “nuclear shield.”

“For these terrorists to have nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat. The most violent and thuggish regime on Earth would be free to carry out their campaigns of terror, coercion, conquest, and mass murder from behind a nuclear shield.”

Previous Actions and the Iran Nuclear Deal

The President highlighted actions taken during his previous terms to counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He mentioned the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, whom he called an “evil genius” and the “father of the roadside bomb.” Trump also took credit for terminating what he called former President Obama’s “disaster” Iran nuclear deal, which he claimed provided Iran with $1.7 billion in cash and would have eventually led to a “colossal arsenal of massive nuclear weapons.” He argued that without his termination of the deal, the Middle East and Israel might not exist today.

Operation Midnight Hammer and Escalation

Trump detailed a prior strike, “Operation Midnight Hammer,” ordered in June, which targeted Iran’s key nuclear facilities. He stated that B-2 bombers “totally obliterated those nuclear sites.” When Iran reportedly sought to rebuild its nuclear program elsewhere, and began rapidly building conventional ballistic missiles capable of reaching the U.S. homeland and Europe, Trump initiated Operation Epic Fury. He explained the core objectives of Operation Epic Fury were to dismantle Iran’s ability to threaten America, destroy its navy, cripple its air force and missile program, and annihilate its defense industrial base. He expressed satisfaction that these objectives are “nearing completion.”

Honoring Fallen Warriors and Gasoline Prices

President Trump acknowledged the sacrifice of 13 American warriors who died during this operation. He stated he had met with their families at Dover Air Force Base and vowed to “finish the job” in their honor, noting that the loved ones of the fallen urged him to do so. He also addressed concerns about rising gasoline prices, attributing the short-term increase to “deranged terror attacks” by the Iranian regime against commercial oil tankers. He argued this further proves Iran cannot be trusted with nuclear weapons and would lead to “decades of extortion, economic pain, and instability.”

U.S. Energy Independence and Global Oil Flow

The President emphasized America’s economic strength and energy independence, stating, “We built the strongest economy in history.” He highlighted the U.S. as the number one producer of oil and gas globally, surpassing Saudi Arabia and Russia combined, and noted that millions of barrels are also being sourced from Venezuela. He stated the U.S. imports almost no oil through the Strait of Hormuz and will not in the future. Trump suggested that countries dependent on oil flowing through the Strait should take responsibility for protecting that passage, urging them to “take care of that passage” and buy oil from the U.S. He predicted that once the conflict is over, the Strait will reopen naturally, and gas prices will rapidly decrease.

Future Outlook and Regime Change

Trump stated that while regime change was not the initial goal, it has occurred due to the death of most original leaders, leading to a “less radical and much more reasonable” new group. However, he warned that if a deal is not made, the U.S. has “eyes on key targets” and is prepared to strike Iran’s electric generating plants simultaneously. He reiterated that Iran’s military has been “decimated,” its radar “100% annihilated,” and its nuclear sites rendered unusable for months. He concluded by asserting that America is “unstoppable as a military force” and that the world is witnessing the “power, strength, and brilliance” of the U.S. military. He projected that upon the conflict’s end, the United States will be “safer, stronger, more prosperous, and greater than it has ever been before.”

Artemis 2 and Venezuela

Earlier in his address, Trump congratulated NASA and astronauts on the successful launch of Artemis 2, a mission that will travel further than any manned rocket in history. He also mentioned the swift and successful U.S. military operation in Venezuela, which he described as “quick, lethal, violent, and respected by everyone.” He noted that the U.S. is now in a “joint venture” with Venezuela for oil and gas production, making America “totally independent of the Middle East.”

Source: Trump address: Iran war objectives 'nearing completion' (YouTube)