Washington, March 2 (AHN) President Donald Trump on Monday defended ongoing US combat operations in Iran, saying the military was “substantially ahead” of schedule and determined to eliminate what he called an “intolerable threat” from Tehran’s missile and nuclear ambitions.​

“Today, the United States military continues to carry out large-scale combat operations in Iran to eliminate the grave threats posed to America by this terrible terrorist regime,” Trump said, providing an update during remarks at the White House.​

He said the campaign followed what he described as the “obliteration of Iran's nuclear program in Operation Midnight Hammer,” and warned Tehran against rebuilding.​

“A short while ago, we warned Iran not to make any attempt to rebuild at a different location… but they ignored those warnings and refused to cease their pursuit of nuclear weapons,” he said.​

Trump outlined what he called clear objectives. “First, we're destroying Iran's missile capabilities, and you see that happening on an hourly basis, and their capacity to produce brand new ones… Second, we're annihilating their navy. We've knocked out already ten ships there at the bottom of the sea. Third, we're ensuring that the world's number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon, never going to have a nuclear weapon.”​

He said the Iranian missile programme posed a growing danger. “The regime already had missiles capable of hitting Europe and our bases, both local and overseas, and would soon have had missiles capable of reaching our beautiful America.”​

The President confirmed American casualties. “Today we grieve for the four heroic American service members who have been killed in action and send our love and support to their families.”​

He insisted the United States would sustain the campaign as long as necessary. “We’re already substantially ahead of our time projections. But whatever the time is, it's okay. Whatever it takes, we will always… do it,” he said, adding: “We have the strongest and most powerful by far military in the world and we will easily prevail.”​

Trump also revisited his criticism of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran. “I was very proud to have knocked out the Iran nuclear deal… That was a horrible, horrible, dangerous document,” he said, arguing Tehran would have acquired nuclear weapons under the deal.​

“So an Iranian regime, armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons, would be an intolerable threat to the Middle East. But also to the American people. Our country itself would be under threat, and it was very nearly under threat,” he said.