Trump: If Iran had nukes, it would have ‘blown up’ Israel, Middle East and parts of Europe

U.S. President Donald Trump defended his decision to engage in conflict with Iran, stating that if Iran acquired nuclear weapons, it would have "blown up Israel, they would have blown up the Middle East, and they would have hit [some of] Europe's cities." He claimed Iran was "two weeks away from having a nuclear weapon" and predicted the conflict would end "very soon." These comments follow intermittent U.S. retaliatory strikes on Iranian targets, including oil tankers, after Iran reportedly targeted a U.S. Navy warship. Jordan also intercepted 18 ballistic missiles from Iran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized U.S. actions, stating, "If Americans are warriors, let them face our valiant military forces. Why wage war on civilian infrastructure, food supplies, and livelihoods?" Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to defeat Iran and prevent terrorist armies on Israel's borders, warning that if Iran attacks, "it will suffer a blow it cannot even imagine."