Addressing a campaign rally in Florida on Friday, he also mentioned his previous national security decisions and took potshots at the Iranian leadership.US President Donald Trump. (REUTERS/File)"We may do another little Epic Fury, or they'll agree,” Trump said as reported by Fox News."If they're smart, they'll just say, 'Let's get down to business.' But, you know, I doubt they'll do that because perhaps they're not smart,” he added.Deep DiveIn February, the US military and Israel jointly carried out strikes on Iran under ‘Operation Epic Fury’. The strikes led to the killing of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with his family members.Referring to previous military action, Trump said, “We obliterated Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity with Operation Midnight Hammer.
We defeated them militarily, financially and otherwise, and now we are ensuring it's done.”Trump's remarks came after a US diplomat suggested that fresh strikes on Iran could take place soon. When asked about the possibility of such an operation earlier, Trump had said he was unaware of any plans.US ambassador says strike possible this weekendUS Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said on Friday that a strike on Iran could happen as early as this weekend.“Could there be a strike this weekend?
Absolutely,” Barrack told podcast host Mario Nawfal during an interview while visiting the Gulf.Barrack also stressed that Trump remained open to a diplomatic solution. "President Donald Trump is very clear. He's open and available and accessible to a deal and we've been at the table for months and months and months," he said.Barrack serves as the US point person on Syria but does not have a direct role in Iran policy.ALSO READ: Iranian plots to target US diplomats reach ‘advanced stages’, extend beyond Middle East: ReportTrump responds to US ambassador's remarkResponding to the remarks made by his ambassador to Turkey, Trump had said that he was unaware of any such plan.“Your ambassador to Turkey just said that ‘absolutely, there could be a strike on Iran this weekend.’ Have you gone back on holding off until after the midterms?” a reporter asked.ALSO READ: US official denies Iran's claim that American forces targeted Konarak naval base: 'Inaccurate, as usual'“That was my ambassador?
He's a pretty powerful man, I guess. If that's the case, I don't know anything about that,” Trump replied.The series of warnings come against the backdrop of the US midterm elections, scheduled for the first week of November.Nidhi Giri is a Senior Content Producer at the Hindustan Times.
A Delhi-based journalist with over four years of experience in the news media industry, she specialises in national affairs, geopolitics, and policy shifts. Her expertise spans breaking news coverage, live blogging, and long-form explainers.
Prior to joining HT, Nidhi was part of the newsrooms at Asian News International (ANI) and The Daily Jagran where she led newsroom shifts, contributed to planned content, and edited stories. She has led real-time coverage of major national and international events.
Highlights of her career include an exclusive interview with Supreme Court Judge Justice N Kotiswar Singh, coverage of Lok Sabha Polls 2024, Union Budget, Operation Sindoor, Parliament Sessions, multiple state assembly elections, G20 New Delhi Summit 2023, India AI Summit, US Presidential Elections, and US-Iran conflict. Nidhi is an alumna of Birla Vidya Niketan, Delhi, and holds a BA in English Honours from Bharati College, University of Delhi.
She also holds a PG Diploma in English Journalism from Indian Institute Of Mass Communication (IIMC), Dhenkanal, and an MA in Mass Communication. Outside the newsroom, Nidhi enjoys spending time with her family, exploring new restaurants, and maintaining an active lifestyle through her gym sessions.Read MoreDonald TrumpUs Iran WarUs Iran ConflictUsGet the latest World News, breaking headlines and global updates from the US, UK, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and other countries.
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