Trump says 'not looking to kill' but warns Iran after midterms
07:30, 04/11/2026, WednesdayU: Update: 08:10, 04/11/2026, Wednesday
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US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is "not looking to kill lots of people" in Iran after midterms, but warned Washington would act decisively if necessary following overnight strikes on Iranian installations.
Post-midterms warning
US President Donald Trump told Fox News on Tuesday that he is "not looking to kill lots of people" in Iran following the midterm elections, while warning that Washington would take decisive action if necessary. He made the remarks amid reports that the US was weighing further strikes on Tehran after the polling.
Overnight installation strike
Trump said American forces struck a newly completed Iranian anti-aircraft installation overnight after monitoring its construction for over two months. "Just a minor attack. It wasn't war," he told the network. Citing a US official, local media reported that the US military carried out "defensive" strikes against Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday.
Total leverage claim
The US president argued that the confrontation with Iran differs from traditional wars such as the Russia-Ukraine war or World War II, asserting that Washington holds total leverage over Tehran after crippling its naval and air assets during the ongoing war. "We have them totally where we want. We could finish them off, or we could be nice and let thousands of people live that would get killed in a war," he said.