President Donald Trump signaled he was ready for peace with a series of Truth Social posts Monday after Iran launched retaliatory strikes at a U.S. Air Base in Qatar.
Iran attacked Al Udeid U.S. Air Base in Qatar Monday, although no casualties were reported, as a response to the United States’ Saturday night strike on the country’s nuclear sites. Ahead of the strike, Iranian officials gave Qatar a heads up, three Iranian officials familiar with the operation told the New York Times (NYT).
Trump addressed the strike in several posts, thanking Iran for giving the U.S. a warning before the attack. (RELATED: Senate Republicans Splinter Over Iran Threat)
“I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trump wrote that 14 missiles were fired at the U.S. base and 13 were knocked down with one being “set free.”
“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” Trump added.
Trump followed up the first post by thanking the Emir of Qatar “for all that he has done in seeking Peace for the Region.” The president then made a third, shorter post.
“CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT’S TIME FOR PEACE!” Trump wrote.
Trump announced Saturday via Truth Social that the United States attacked Iran’s key nuclear facilities.
The U.S. used its “bunker buster” to carry out the attack, sources told CNN. A “bunker buster,” or a Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb, is “designed for ‘reaching and destroying our adversaries’ weapons of mass destruction located in well-protected facilities,” according to a U.S. Air Force fact sheet obtained by CNN.
The US’ B-2 Spirit bombers are the only aircraft capable of carrying the specific bomb, CNN reported.
The president also warned after the attacks Saturday that if Iran retaliates and attacks U.S. personnel, it will be met with “force far greater than what was witnessed tonight.”
The initial attacks from Israel, and then eventually the U.S., came after Trump gave Iran 60 days to reach a nuclear deal. Talks began to slow after Tehran indicated that it was committed to having civilian-grade enrichment. Trump previously stated that Iran would not be able to enrich uranium under any prospective deal with the U.S.
“I can report to the world that these strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” Trump said the night of the United States’ attack. “Iran the bully of the Middle East must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.”
“For 40 years, Iran has been saying, death to America, death to Israel. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs, with roadside bombs. That was their specialty,” he added. “We lost over 1,000 people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East and around the world have died as a direct result of the hate.”
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