"Trump does not bluff, prepared to unleash hell if Iran doesn't accept defeat": White House
Washington DC, March 26
US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday said that US President Donald Trump does not bluff, and he would unleash hell, adding that Iran must not miscalculate anything about what Washington wants in West Asia.
Leavitt, while briefing the media, said that Trump prefers peace and postponed the strikes after Iran expressed its willingness to speak.
"President Trump's preference is always peace. However, following his powerful threat on Saturday evening, it was made clear that Iran wanted to talk. As the President announced on Monday, the US has been engaged over the last three days in productive conversations, leading the President to temporarily instruct the Department of War to postpone planned strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure," she said.
"Let me be clear, Iran should not miscalculate again. Their last miscalculation cost them their senior leadership, their navy, their air force, and their air defense system. President Trump does not bluff, and he is prepared to unleash hell if they refuse to accept the reality that they have been defeated," she added.
Leavitt said that the US has hit over 9,000 enemy targets.
"The United States military continues to decimate the Iranian regime's offensive and defensive capabilities. Just over three weeks in, it is abundantly clear that Operation Epic Fury has been a resounding military triumph. More than 9,000 enemy targets have been struck to date," she said.
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the US is sending messages through different mediators, which "does not mean negotiations", while another source said Tehran sees a 15-point US plan as "extremely maximalist and unreasonable," Al Jazeera reported.
A Department of Defence official told Al Jazeera that the US has ordered the deployment of approximately 2,500 US soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East.
According to the official, the forces scheduled for deployment include commanders and logistical support elements from the division's 1st Combat Brigade.
— ANI
Reader Comments
"Unleash hell"? The language is so extreme. As an Indian, I've seen how regional instability affects us. Remember the oil price spike after Gulf War? Our economy is just recovering, we don't need another crisis in West Asia. Diplomacy, not threats, is the only way.
Frankly, the US creating chaos far from its shores while expecting peace at home. We in India have to deal with the real-world consequences—refugee flows, terror spillover, economic disruption. Our foreign policy should be clear: we engage with all, but our stability is paramount. 🇮🇳
Watching from a distance, but I live in Mumbai. The bravado is unsettling. 9,000 targets? That's not a surgical strike, that's devastation. There has to be a path to de-escalation. The world can't afford another forever war.
Respectfully, I have to criticize this approach. A superpower threatening to "unleash hell" sets a terrible precedent. Imagine if every country spoke like this to its neighbors. India has shown strength through restraint and strategic action, not through public bombast. That's a lesson here.
The immediate concern is for our Indian brothers and sisters working in the Gulf states. Their safety is the top priority. The government should have contingency plans ready. Hope the MEA is monitoring this very closely.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.