The United States will hit 52 Iranian sites “very fast and very hard” in response to any potential attack by the Islamic Republic following the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, US President Donald Trump tweeted on Saturday.
“Let this serve as a warning that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level and important to Iran and the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, will be hit very fast and very hard. The USA wants no more threats!” Trump wrote.
“Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets” in response to the American operation that killed Soleimani, US President said. “He was already attacking our embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years,” Trump noted.
The Pentagon earlier confirmed that a missile strike near the Baghdad airport killed the head of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani. The operation was carried out at the direction of Donald Trump, the statement said.
Following the attack, the Supreme National Security Council of Iran vowed to exact “severe revenge” on those involved in the killing, blaming the US for the attack. In a telephone call with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blasted the attack as an act of terrorism by the US.
