UPDATED: Cable news networks quickly shifted their focus Monday to the skies of Qatar, amid reports that Iran has fired missiles in response to the bombing of nuclear facilities.
Broadcast networks also broke into regular programming during the 1 p.m. ET hour.
The images showed explosions in the nighttime skies, as air defense systems were activated. There has been no reports so far of casualties. The Qatar defense ministry said its air defenses intercepted the attack targeting the United States’ Al Udeid Air Base, multiple news outlets reported.
Trump has previously warned Iran not to retaliate to the U.S. strikes, saying on Saturday, “Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.”
But in a message posted on Truth Social, a couple hours after the Iranian missle attack, Trump instead signaled a desire for peace. He wrote, “Iran has officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered. There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was ‘set free,’ because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE. I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same.”
The announcement of the missile launches came from Iranian state TV. “They are saying that the response has been launched,” CNN‘s Fred Pleitgen, reporting from Tehran, told Anderson Cooper.
“We did hear from a senior Iranian official today saying that they wanted to make the United States pay, and in total they are gearing up for a conflict with both the United States and Israel that could last up to two years, saying they were prepared for something like that,” Pleitgen said.
Trump said that the U.S. strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. But defense officials have acknowledged that a final assessment of the damage has not been completed.
On ABC News, Ian Pannell said that there was “precedent” for the missile attack, noting that after Trump, in his first term, ordered the assassination of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, Iran fired at U.S. bases in response. “That was a calibrated response … but no further,” Pannell said. “It allowed for a de-escalation. I am not sure we are in the same territory right now.”
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