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The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Sunday that Iran's military forces have been "decimated" following recent U.S. operations, also asserting that Washington succeeded in destroying the country's main air defense systems.
During a conversation with journalists aboard Air Force One, while returning from West Palm Beach (Florida) to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Trump noted that the impact of the military actions of Operation Epic Fury has been significant, although he refrained from officially declaring a definitive victory over Tehran.
“There is no reason to do so,” the president said when asked about the possibility of ending the conflict.
Trump stated that if the United States were to withdraw at this moment, Iran would need "ten years or more" to rebuild its military capabilities. Nevertheless, he insisted that the operation cannot be considered complete.
The president stated that U.S. forces managed to neutralize both the Iranian air force and its air defense systems. As he explained, this would have left the country without effective capability to protect its airspace from external attacks.
"We have taken away their air defense. They have no air defense at all," Trump stated to the press.
The leader also stated that military operations have significantly reduced Iran's capability to launch missiles and drones, two of the strategic pillars of the military apparatus of the Islamic Republic in the region.
Trump's statements come amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and following a series of coordinated operations between the United States and its allies.
In that context, the president emphasized the close military cooperation with Israel in the face of Iran. He explained that both countries share strategic objectives regarding the Iranian government and maintain a "very solid" coordination between their armed forces.
"We have similar objectives and our military forces are very well coordinated," he emphasized.
Iranian authorities, for their part, have not confirmed Washington's claims about the extent of the damage suffered by their armed forces.
The situation continues to be closely monitored by the international community due to the risk that the conflict may escalate into a larger regional confrontation.
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