President Trump Rules Out Nukes, Ground Troops against Iran
CNN had previously reported that Trump says the conventional bomb was among the weapons being considered for possible attacks
US President Donald Trump has said he would not use nuclear weapons against Iran, adding that he is not considering deploying American ground troops to the country.
In an interview with Newsmax, Trump said the United States had no need to use nuclear weapons against Iran. “I will not use nuclear weapons. We don’t need them,” Trump said.
The US president also addressed reports that Washington was considering using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), commonly known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” in potential strikes against Iran.
Trump described the weapon as extremely powerful but stressed that it was not nuclear. “It’s just a very big bomb, but it’s not nuclear,” he said.
CNN had previously reported that the conventional bomb was among the weapons being considered for possible attacks.
In another part of the interview, Trump said the United States was also holding discussions with Russia and China on nuclear disarmament.
His remarks come amid heightened tensions surrounding Iran and renewed attention to the potential military options available to Washington. However, Trump’s comments indicate that he is ruling out the use of nuclear weapons and is not currently considering sending US ground forces into Iran.
Five Killed in Houthi Missile Attack
According to a statement by Yemen’s health minister, five people were killed and 16 others injured in a Houthi missile attack on the Maashiq Presidential Palace complex in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on Thursday.
The attack by the Houthi Ansar Allah group marks the first strike targeting the presidential palace since fighting resumed in Yemen.
Yemen’s Information Ministry said the attack struck the presidential palace compound, which houses the headquarters of the internationally recognised Yemeni government. Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani and members of the government were safe following the attack.
Agence France-Presse (AFP), citing a Yemeni government minister who requested anonymity, reported that al-Zindani was present at the palace at the time of the attack but “was not harmed.”
Record Number of Ships Attacked Near Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Middle East Tensions
Attacks on commercial vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz have surged in recent days amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
12 vessels were attacked between October 5 and October 11
According to reports received by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), 12 vessels were attacked between October 5 and October 11. This marks the highest number of reported attacks in a single week since the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran. In the preceding week, 10 vessels reported attacks.
UKMTO said six ships were targeted on a single day last Sunday, setting a record for daily attacks. Since October 12, four additional attacks have been reported.
The increase in attacks has also slowed the recovery in oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which had been observed over the previous month.
BBC Verify compiled incident reports published on the UKMTO website and created a timeline based on the earliest date listed in each report. However, the figures are estimates, as some reports record the date of an attack while others use the date the incident was reported.
Experts say Tehran is targeting vessels in an effort to strengthen its control over the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the US military has increased the number of tankers it escorts through the southern part of the strait, helping them navigate the waterway under protection against Iranian attacks.
According to experts, Iran is also expanding attacks on vessels in maritime areas farther from the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said commercial maritime traffic through the strait was continuing despite the attacks, with vessels still moving under coordinated protection provided by US forces and regional partners.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that oil prices have been trending upward this week amid uncertainty in the Middle East. Brent crude was trading at $105.42 per barrel on Friday.
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