Donald Trump's bizarre 6-word statement after Iran fires missiles at US base

Donald Trump has bizarrely said "congratulations world" in an unhinged six-word post after Iran fired missiles at a US base in a further escalation of the Middle East crisis.

Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a US military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites and the US President has now turned the critical moment on its head claiming that the outlook now looks more positive. In his latest social media post on Truth Social he wrote: "Congratulations world, it's time for peace." It came after he had dismissed the attack, where fortunately there were no casualties, as a "very weak response" and said the US was warned by Iran in advance.

"Most importantly, they've gotten it all out of their `system,' and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE," Trump also posted. Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base attack, but said it successfully intercepted the short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

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Iran said the volley matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas.

Those comments, made immediately after the attack, suggested Iran wanted to de-escalate with the United States, something Trump himself said after the strikes early Sunday on Iran.

Trump said that Iran might be able to "now proceed to Peace and Harmony" and said he would encourage Israel to do the same. However, Israel's war on Iran continued, with the its military expanding its campaign on Monday to target sites symbolic for the country's theocracy.

Iran announced the attack on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it "a mighty and successful response" to "America's aggression."

Iraqis said they were informed by US officials that missiles were launched toward the the Ain al-Assad base housing US troops in western Iraq, but the missiles never arrived, an Iraqi security official who was not authorised to comment publicly said on condition of anonymity. A US military official said there was no confirmed attack on the base in Iraq. He also spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry said the attack by Iran's Revolutionary Guards was "a flagrant violation of Qatar's sovereignty, its airspace, and international law." Al Udeid is also home to the Combined Air Operations Center, which provides command and control of air power across the region, as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest such wing in the world.

Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: "We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer." The retaliation came a day after the US launched a surprise attack Sunday morning on three of Iran's nuclear sites.

Earlier in the day, Israel struck the gate of a Tehran prison notorious for holding political activists and hitting the headquarters of the military force that suppressed recent protests.

As plumes of thick smoke rose over Tehran, Israel was attacked with yet another barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. The persistent fire has become a reality for civilians in both countries since Israel started the war to target Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.

On the 11th day of the conflict, Israel said it attacked "regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran," but Israeli officials insisted they did not seek the overthrow of Iran's government, their archenemy since the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The Israeli military warned Iranians that it would continue to attack military sites around Tehran over "the coming days" as its focus has shifted to symbolic targets as well. The military issued the warning on the social platform X, though Iranians are struggling to access the outside world as an internet shutdown has crippled the country.

The latest strikes unfolded only hours after Trump openly raised the possibility himself after just a day earlier inserting America into the war with its unprecedented stealth-bomber strike on three Iranian nuclear sites.

"If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???" he asked on his Truth Social website. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later described Trump as "simply raising a question." However, suggestions of overthrowing the Iranian government drew new anger from Tehran, which insists it will not negotiate at this time.