Former President Donald Trump predicted on Monday that Iran would strike against Israel that evening, claiming to have heard it was forthcoming. Trump, 78, emphasized that he didn’t possess any classified knowledge of a potential attack, but casually mentioned it while speaking with streamer Adin Ross.
“I’m hearing there’s going to be an attack by Iran on Israel. They’re going to be attacked tonight. I’m telling you right now,” the former president told Ross, without citing his source. “I hear it just through the same way — there is no top-secret information or anything,” he continued. “But I hear that Israel is going to be attacked tonight.” The 45th president chided, “If I were president, nobody would even be talking about that … because it wouldn’t happen.”
While light on details about specific sourcing, Trump’s remarks come amid simmering tensions between Israel and Iran after the Shi’i majority nation alleged that the US ally killed Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week. Iran had vowed retaliation. Earlier in the day, reports emerged that Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his Group of Seven counterparts that Iran and Hezbollah could team up on an attack against Israel as early as Monday. Specifically, Blinken suggested the attack could take place within 24-48 hours, meaning it could come after Monday, Axios reported.
Late last month, Israel took credit for taking out Hezbollah’s top military commander, Fuad Shukr, during a strike in Beirut as retaliation for a rocket attack that killed 12 children and teenagers in Israel. Similar to Iran, Hezbollah, a Lebanese group that the US has designated a terrorist organization, had pledged to retaliate against Israel.
Trump, who just last month had 40 counts tossed out against him for allegedly hoarding sensitive national security documents, is now the Republican nominee for president. He is entitled to receive classified security briefings, though it is unclear whether he has been receiving them.
The 78-year-old’s remarks came during a riff on foreign policy in which he lashed out at Democrats who trafficked in the Russia collusion “hoax.” During that tangent, Trump also briefly opined on the bloody war underway half a world away in Ukraine and insisted that Russian President Vladimir Putin wouldn’t have invaded under his watch. “Ukraine was the apple of his eye. He did love it. He did want it, but he knew he couldn’t do it,” Trump added. “He would’ve never done it if I was president.” “Outside of Kyiv, most of those cities are wiped down to the ground and it’s so sad. And when those buildings come down — there are plenty of people [in them],” he went on.
