US targets 52 Iranian sites, Trump vows to hit ‘very hard’ if Tehran retaliates

US President Donald Trump reacted angrily to Iran’s threats of reprisals after the United States’ drone strike that resulted in the killing of Iran’s top army general, Qassem Soleimani.

The president said the US is targeting 52 sites in Iran and will hit them “very fast and very hard” if Tehran attacks American personnel or assets.

Trump began his series of tweets by saying: “Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime.”

He continued: “Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD.”

The president’s words came in stark contrast to those from Europe, with Germany, France and the EU all seeking compromise in order to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the White House has sent a formal notification to Congress under the War Powers Act of the airstrike that killed Soleimani at Baghdad airport on Friday, according to a senior official.

The notification was classified and it was not known if a public version would be made available, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the report “suggests Congress and the American people are being left in the dark about our national security.”