Trump Approves Strikes Against Iran on Thursday but Abruptly Backtracks on His Decision - Report
Middle East
06:14 21.06.2019(updated 06:37 21.06.2019)
Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated following the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps downing of a US Global Hawk spy drone that Tehran claimed was in violation of Iran airspace, specifically in the coastal Hormozgan province. Donald Trump initially stated that Iran had made "a very big mistake", but later walked back his comment.
US President Donald Trump approved military operation against Iran after the downing of a US Global Hawk spy drone, but pulled back from launching it on Thursday night, The New York Times reported.
According to the report, military and diplomatic officials were expecting a strike order as late as 7 p.m. Thursday. Prior to that there were heated debates at the White House involving Trump's top national security officials and leaders from Congress.
The outlet added, citing a senior Trump administration official, that aircraft and ships had been on position to fire missiles when the order came to cancel the operation.
Donald Trump initially approved attacks against a series of Iranian targets, including radar and missile batteries, The New York Times reported citing multiple senior administration officials.
The operation, although underway, was abandoned in its early stages.
According to the report, it is not clear whether the attacks might still go forward.
The military operation was slated to take place before dawn Friday in Iran in order to "minimize risk to the Iranian military or to civilians," The New York Times reported.
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