▲ U.S. President Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on the 23rd (local time) regarding Iran, "We are considering a massive attack. It would be bigger than anything before."
In an interview with the U.S. online media outlet Axios that day, President Trump said, "I am right on the verge of making a decision. We have everything ready," making the remarks.
The United States has carried out airstrikes against Iran for 12 consecutive days so far.
Axios reported that President Trump's remarks mean he intends to launch an attack on a scale even larger than Operation Epic Fury, which involved an all-out war with Iran, rather than a limited-level strike.
President Trump also said, "If I ask, Israel will join [in an attack on Iran] in two minutes," while adding that "we don't need anyone" for an attack on Iran.
Axios reported that he noted there would be "consequences" if Israel joins the attack on Iran, keeping the possibility of Iranian retaliation in mind.
President Trump said that Iran "wants to negotiate," but stated that he is not ready to reach a deal with Iran at this time, asserting, "They [Iran] haven't suffered enough yet."
Prior to this, President Trump warned that if Yemen's pro-Iranian Houthi rebels attack ships in the Red Sea again, the U.S. will take strong military action against both the Houthis and Iran, which supports them.
Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, President Trump stated, "If they do this [attack commercial vessels] again, the United States will hold Iran responsible given that the Houthis are a proxy for Iran."
He continued, "Significant military retaliation will be inflicted on Iran, and the Houthis themselves will also be targeted," adding, "I have been very disappointed given that they have acted very professionally and cleverly up to now."
The Houthis, who declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabian ships in the Red Sea, announced that day that they had carried out a military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers.
Saudi Arabia has been taking a detour to export crude oil through the Red Sea by moving it westward via pipelines after Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz.
Recalling that "a year ago, the United States struck the Houthis very powerfully for disrupting commerce and trade by firing on vessels," President Trump pointed out, "Since then, and during our conflict with Iran, they have acted very responsibly.
Unfortunately, they are starting up again, and last night they fired on two Saudi ships."
Last March, after the Houthis attacked vessels passing through the Red Sea citing Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, the United States dispatched an aircraft carrier to launch airstrikes on Houthi strongholds.
Amid observations that the resumption of an all-out war between the U.S. and Iran is imminent, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution that day requiring congressional approval for a war with Iran, with 214 votes in favor and 208 against.
The Associated Press reported that the U.S. Senate is also scheduled to deliberate on a similar resolution soon.
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