US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Iran it would face its “official end” if the Islamic Republic wanted to fight. Trump tweeted the statement hours after a rocket hit the Green Zone in Baghdad, where the US embassy is located. The statement comes after a week of rising tension with the US moving more military assets to the Persian Gulf amid reports of an unspecified threat from Iran.
If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019
Trump tweeted, “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!”
A US State Department spokesperson confirmed the rocket attack near the US embassy. The spokesperson declared “attacks on US personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner" and added that the US will hold "Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces”.
Providing details of the rocket attack, the Iraqi military believed the weapon was fired from east Baghdad, considered a base of Iranian-backed Shia militias. The US had ordered the withdrawal of all non-essential diplomatic staff from Iraq in the past week.
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Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir declared on Sunday his country would “fight with all force and determination” if the “other side chooses war”. Jubeir told reporters, “the kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want war in the region and does not strive for that... but at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests.”
Two Saudi oil tankers were among four that were allegedly sabotaged off the coast of the UAE, while Yemeni rebels, backed by Iran, had claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline.
