President Trump warned that Iran would be "hit very hard" on Saturday. "Today Iran will be hit very hard! Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran's bad behavior, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
This came as the US military's "Operation Epic Fury" entered its second week. Iran has suffered massive losses, including the elimination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump said the Iranian regime was no longer the "Bully of the Middle East" after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an apology for launching attacks on its Gulf neighbors.
Trump Going All Out
"Iran, which is being beat to HELL, has apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbors, and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore. This promise was only made because of the relentless U.S. and Israeli attack," Trump said.
"They were looking to take over and rule the Middle East. It is the first time that Iran has ever lost, in thousands of years, to surrounding Middle Eastern Countries. They have said, 'Thank you President Trump.' I have said, 'You're welcome!'"
In a pre-recorded message released on Saturday, Pezeshkian apologized for the wave of retaliatory strikes that hit several of Iran's neighboring countries after the joint US-Israel attack.
The 71-year-old said Iran had the right to "take all necessary measures" to protect itself. However, he added that Iran would stop carrying out attacks against its neighbors as long as they did not respond with strikes of their own.
Early Saturday, Iran fired multiple missiles across the region.
Iran Braces for More Air Attack
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said one of its targets was a US air warfare center at al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE. Meanwhile, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia reported that they intercepted and shot down drones that entered their airspace on Saturday.
Explosions were also reported near Dubai, forcing Emirates Airlines to halt all flights to and from the city.
On Friday, Trump said there would be no peace until Iran agreed to an "unconditional surrender."
Pezeshkian, however, appeared to push back against Trump's demand.
"That's a dream that they should take to their grave," he said during his address.
