American President Donald Trump compared the conflict in Iran to an excursion and said that the war was easier than expected.
When asked by a reporter whether the conflict in Iran is a „small excursion” or a „war,” Trump responded that „it is both.”
"It's an excursion that will keep us away from a war, for them it's a war, for us it turned out to be easier than we thought," he said, according to CNN.
The White House leader then stated that the United States hit "28 mine-laying ships using the exact same weapon we used against drug traffickers."
Nothing about the tragedy at the girls' school
Trump also said that he is not worried that Iran might escalate retaliations and launch attacks on American soil.
ABC News reported that the FBI warned police departments in California that Iran could retaliate for American attacks by launching drones on the U.S. West Coast.
Trump also avoided a question about the bombing of a girls' school in Iran, resulting in the death of at least 175 people, most of them children. When asked if he takes responsibility for the attack, he simply replied, "I don't know about that."
A preliminary investigation found that the U.S. is responsible for the attack, according to the New York Times.
Trump has insisted in recent days that Iran is to blame, despite mounting evidence suggesting U.S. responsibility and despite admitting that he "doesn't know enough" about the attack. Washington administration officials are avoiding taking blame for this attack until a full report is published. Trump also stated that he is willing to accept the investigation's findings, notes The Guardian.
What about the new leader of Iran
The U.S. President also spoke about Iran's leadership. "We've taken down their leadership twice, and now they have a new group coming in. Let's see what happens with them," he said.
Iran announced Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader on Sunday. He succeeds his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the initial American-Israeli attacks on February 28.
In recent days, Trump has stated that the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei was a "big mistake" and suggested that he will not "last long" without U.S. approval. He told reporters that he is "disappointed" and "unsatisfied" with the choice, previously labeling Khamenei as "weak" and an "unacceptable choice" to lead Iran.
The U.S. President also refused to rule out the possibility of Mojtaba Khamenei being a military target. Meanwhile, Israel has announced that it will target the new Iranian supreme leader.
About stock markets and rising oil prices
Trump stated that financial markets should soon be "back on the right track."
He referred to fluctuations in oil prices as a "war issue."