President Donald Trump holds a mannequin of a B-2 stealth bomber within the Oval Workplace of the White Home on March 16, 2026, in Washington.
| Picture Credit score: AP
President Donald Trump was warned that attacking Iran might set off retaliation in opposition to U.S. Gulf allies regardless of his claims on Monday (March 16, 2026) that Tehran’s response got here as a shock, stated a U.S. official and two sources acquainted with U.S. intelligence reviews.
Pre-war intelligence assessments didn’t say that Iran’s response was “a assure, nevertheless it definitely was on the listing of potential outcomes,” stated one supply, who like the opposite two requested anonymity to debate the problem.
Iran-Israel struggle LIVE – March 17, 2026
The president twice on Monday (March 16, 2026) stated that Iran’s retaliatory strikes in opposition to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait have been a shock, the primary time at a Kennedy Middle board assembly within the White Home.
“They (Iran) weren’t imagined to go after all these different international locations within the Center East,” he stated. “No person anticipated that. We have been shocked.” Mr. Trump’s assertion adopted different administration claims that haven’t been backed by U.S. intelligence reporting, such as that Iran would quickly have a missile able to hitting the U.S. homeland and that it could want two to 4 weeks to make a nuclear bomb and would then use it.
These allegations and an imminent menace posed by Iran to the U.S. and its forces in the area have been amongst various causes that Trump and a few high aides have given to justify his resolution to hitch Israel in launching their air struggle in opposition to Iran on February 28.
Mr. Trump was additionally briefed forward of the operation that Tehran would probably search to shut the economically important Strait of Hormuz, in line with two different sources acquainted with the matter.
Over the previous two weeks, Iranian drones and missiles have struck targets within the Gulf nations which have included U.S. army bases and an Emirates base internet hosting French troops, civilian buildings, together with motels, airports, and vitality services. Iran has additionally halted nearly all delivery via the Strait of Hormuz, via which 20% of oil provides transfer, inflicting international vitality costs to spike.
Democratic lawmakers emerged from administration briefings on the struggle final week saying they heard of no imminent menace that required the U.S. and Israel to launch the struggle.
The White Home didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. The Workplace of the Director of Nationwide Intelligence declined to remark.
Warnings of a regional struggle
The U.S. official stated that Mr. Trump was briefed earlier than the struggle that placing Iran might set off a broader regional battle that would come with Iranian retaliation in opposition to Gulf capitals, particularly if Tehran noticed these international locations condoning or actively supporting the U.S. assaults.
Mr. Trump repeated his declare afterward Monday (March 16, 2026) throughout a signing occasion within the Oval Workplace. He was requested if he was stunned that no one had briefed him about that danger that Iran would strike again on the Gulf states.
“No person, no one, no, no, no. The best specialists, no one thought they have been going to hit,” replied Mr. Trump.
The second supply acquainted with the matter stated that earlier than the U.S.-Israeli assaults, the U.S. intelligence neighborhood assessed that Israel’s plan to launch strikes geared toward killing high Iranian leaders probably would outcome in retaliation in opposition to U.S. army and diplomatic outposts.
The administration didn’t order departures of diplomatic employees from a number of regional embassies till after the air strikes started.
The neighborhood additionally warned that Iran “might” widen its retaliation to American allies within the area, the supply stated.
Revealed – March 17, 2026 08:45 am IST