Trump: War With Iran Will End Very Soon, Arizona Rally

US President Donald Trump told a campaign rally in Arizona on Wednesday that the war with Iran will end very soon. He also warned that Tehran would use a nuclear weapon within 24 hours of obtaining one.

"It's going to end very soon. As soon as I want it to end, it'll end," Trump said. According to Arutz Sheva, he spoke at the rally ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

In Israel, the security establishment raised its alert level on Wednesday to the highest point in months, military analyst Yossi Yehoshua reported. Intelligence assessments pointed to a possible Iranian attack. Yehoshua said the IDF is preparing to return to full combat operations on the shortest possible notice. He added that the defense establishment expects any Israeli operation to be carried out in full coordination with the American administration. Israelis vote on October 27, a week before the US midterms.

Trump described how he believes a nuclear-armed Iran would behave. "If [Iran] had a nuclear weapon, within 24 hours they would use it. They'll knock out the Middle East, then they'll start hitting us on the West Coast. They'll hit Europe - because they're crazy. They're crazy people," he declared.

He claimed that repeated American military operations had gutted Iran's leadership. "Their first level leaders are gone, they picked a second level. Their second level leaders are gone, they picked a third level. Half of them are gone. They made me promise not to take out any more and I did. I promised them. But nobody wants to be the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Trump said.

The president defended the US campaign as necessary to stop Iran from acquiring the bomb. He said Washington had acted "because you don't want them to have a weapon that can blow up millions of people in one shot."

His statements on the timing of further action have shifted over the past week. In a Truth Social post last Thursday, Trump announced a pause on new US strikes against Iran until after November 3. On Monday, he told reporters that the election calendar would not dictate his Iran policy.

Outside the White House on Tuesday, he called Iran a "failed country." "They have no economy. They have 300% inflation. They have no money. They're not paying their troops. They're not paying anybody. We'll make a decision on Iran very soon," he said.

That night, Trump told a rally in Wasilla, Alaska: "Oh, wait till you see what we do to Iran. We're going to do a number. Wait till you see." He also said Iran's nuclear program was "buried under thousands of tons of rock."