‘We're Winning the War by a Lot’: Donald Trump Declares Major Strikes in Iran

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (US local time) claimed that the United States had wiped out the entire leadership in Iran, describing the actions as removing a major "cancer" from the face of the earth.

When asked whether the US was responsible for the bombing of an elementary girls' school in Iran, Trump denied the allegations and instead blamed Iran, citing inaccuracies in Iranian weapons as the reason.

"No, I don't believe so. Based on what I've seen that was done by Iran. We think it was done by Iran because they're very inaccurate as you know with their munitions. They have no accuracy whatsoever. It was done by Iran,” he said.

The US President outlined extensive military accomplishments, saying, "We've wiped out their (Iranian) navy, 44 ships. We've wiped out their air force, every plane. We've wiped out most of their missiles. You see the missiles aren't coming much anymore."

"We've also hit their manufacturing areas where they make the missiles very hard. Their drone capacity is way down and we've hurt them where it hurts, including about every form of leadership you can have we've wiped out," he added.

On being asked about an earlier projected six-week timeline, Trump said, "I never project time, whatever it takes. But the (Iranian) military is almost nonexistent. We could hit their military itself very hard but maybe we will, maybe we won't, we haven't made that determination."

"We've hit the manufacturing very hard. They're at about nine per cent of what they sent out in the first two days and we think that's because they don't have that much," he said.

"We've also knocked out about 70 per cent of the rockets of the launchers. The launchers are a big deal, very hard to get, very expensive,” he further added.

Is There Still a Prospect for a Diplomatic Deal Between the US and Iran?

When asked about prospects for a deal with Iran, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said, "I think there is. I think that's going to be up to the President, that's what I think. But they didn't seem to be very amenable in that first set of negotiations. You heard what I said."

"They said we have the inalienable right to enrich. They bragged about having 60 percent enriched fuel, enough for 11 bombs. And they told me and Jared, we're not going to give you diplomatically what you couldn't take militarily. So you know I think they're going to need a change of attitude," Witkoff added.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has declared the commencement of its 27th offensive under Operation True Promise 4, targeting American and Israeli positions in response to what it termed a new wave of "unprovoked US-Israeli aggression towards the Islamic Republic," Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported.

The operation includes integrated drone and missile barrages directed against Israeli military infrastructure in the northern regions of the occupied territories.

The IRGC stated that its Aerospace Division used newly developed solid-fuel Kheibar-Shekan missiles with terminal guidance capability to strike targets in Haifa.

Unmanned aerial systems were deployed to hit a location housing American personnel in 'Marina,' near the buildings of the 'Warner Brothers' company.

How Is Iran’s IRGC Navy Targeting US Fifth Fleet Facilities in Bahrain?

Simultaneously, the IRGC Navy engaged US Fifth Fleet facilities in Bahrain, hitting the command centre for unmanned surface vessels and military support hangars at Salman Port.

The IRGC claimed that Israeli authorities were attempting to create a human shield by confining residents of the occupied territories to northern and central areas.

Press TV reported that continuous emergency sirens have sounded across the region due to these retaliatory strikes.

The Corps affirmed that Iranian forces are prepared for a long-term escalation, warning that units "are lying in wait for American forces with precision and planning."

Operation True Promise 4 began immediately following the start of foreign strikes last Saturday.

Since then, the IRGC has reportedly launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and suicide drones at strategic interests in Tel Aviv, al-Quds, and the technology centre of Be'er Sheva.

Previous reports also claim successful engagements against the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and a destroyer in the Indian Ocean.

Commenting on the broader regional situation, Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom, Tom Tugendhat, told ANI, "A lot of people are very concerned at what's going on, and not just about what's going on in Iran, but what's happening in the United Arab Emirates, in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar."

"India has about nine million citizens in the region; we have about 300,000 citizens there, so there's a huge concern," he added.

"The challenge of energy prices is something that we all face. Resolving this challenge as quickly as possible is good not just for the global economy, but actually good for families and good for homes across the whole world,” he said.

(With inputs from ANI)