Yahoo News Donald Trump tweets the US was “cocked and loaded” to strike Iran but stopped after being told people would die
Donald Trump said the military was “cocked and loaded to retaliate” against Iran but called off the strike with minutes to spare.
Attacks on three sites were planned in response to the downing of a US unmanned drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
The firebrand president said he had called off strikes ten minutes before they were due after being told 150 people would die.
....On Monday they shot down an unmanned drone flying in International Waters. We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019
He tweeted: "We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die.
“150 people, sir, was the answer from a General.
“10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone".
....proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone. I am in no hurry, our Military is rebuilt, new, and ready to go, by far the best in the world. Sanctions are biting & more added last night. Iran can NEVER have Nuclear Weapons, not against the USA, and not against the WORLD!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019
His Twitter rant continued: “I am in no hurry, our Military is rebuilt, new, and ready to go, by far the best in the world.
“Sanctions are biting & more added last night. Iran can NEVER have Nuclear Weapons, not against the USA, and not against the WORLD!”
Mr Trump said Iran had shot down the drone on Monday, despite an earlier US military statement saying the incident happened on Wednesday
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Tehran says the unmanned US aircraft entered Iranian airspace early on Thursday morning.
However, the US maintains it was shot down in international airspace.
The New York Times alleged at around 19:00 local time (23:00 GMT) on Thursday, US military and diplomatic officials had still expected the strikes to take place on agreed targets.
The newspaper reported strikes had been set to take place just before dawn on Friday to minimise risk to the Iranian military or to civilians.
