By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent
Only hours after the Pentagon confirmed that, “Al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran,” President Donald Trump announced that a “complete and total ceasefire” agreement has been reached between Israel and Iran, adding, “At this time, there are no reports of U.S. casualties. We are monitoring this situation closely and will provide more information as it becomes available.”
Iran fired 19 missiles at the United States’ most extensive military base in the Middle East, located in Qatar. Iran launched a limited attack in retaliation after President Trump ordered air strikes designed to destroy several of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
According to the Associated Press, Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base, noting that the missiles were successfully intercepted before reaching their targets.
In March, Trump’s own Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, testified before Congress that there was no indication that Iran sought to achieve weapons-grade uranium via its enrichment program. However, the administration instead chose to rely on Israeli intelligence and the demands of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who argued that Iran’s uranium enrichment program has advanced beyond agreed-upon parameters, representing a threat to Israel and the region.
In a message to the nation following the U.S. strikes, Trump warned that if Iran sought military retaliation against the U.S., it would be “a terrible mistake.” Some speculate that Iran may seek additional retaliation by closing the Strait of Hormuz. Approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply travels through the narrow waterway located between Iran and Oman.
The White House is firm on not calling this a war so that the administration’s actions do not conflict with the War Powers Act, legislation intended to check a U.S. President’s power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of the U.S. Congress. However, the president’s rhetoric over the last few days indicates that he has not ruled out the use of military force to spur regime change in Iran.
Last weekend, Vice President J.D. Vance was a guest on NBC’s Meet the Press. When asked by host Kristen Welker if the U.S. air strikes amount to a declaration of war with Iran, Vance said, “We are not at war with Iran, we are at war with Iran’s nuclear program.”
Sources familiar with national security and military actions around the world speculate that Israel has diminished Iran’s military capacity as a result of their conflict, limiting Iran’s ability to respond more forcefully, as well as any interest in prolonged conflict. However, there are concerns about other actions, including the activation of embedded “lone wolf” and “sleeper cell” terrorists within the United States.
Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: “We neither initiated the war nor sought it. But we will not leave the invasion to the great Iran without an answer.”
Stacy M. Brown is an NNPA Newswire Correspondent
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