U.S. troops in Middle East on high alert as protests spread
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – U.S. troops in the Middle East are on high alert, after striking nuclear sites in Iran.
The move comes as Israel and Iran have been firing at each other for the last week.
"The strikes were a spectacular military success,” said President Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump and most Republicans are rallying behind what they're calling operation ‘Midnight Hammer’.
According to senior White House officials, the president approved the strikes Friday night and gave his Defense Secretary final approval Saturday morning.
"President Trump has said from over 20 years, frankly, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and ultimately, he decided this is the moment giving their stonewalling when direct military action, had to be taken,” said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
President Trump is now pressuring Iranian officials to formally end their nuclear program.
"If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier,” said Trump.
Democrats say the strikes should not have happened without approval from Congress.
"Congress should have been a full participant in this decision, and we were not at all,” said Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services committee, says the Trump administration risks a larger war.
“We have to be very very careful that we don't start a regional conflict. There's a danger of that now,” said Reed.
Protests around the country are calling for the U.S. to stay out of Iran.
Iran insists their nuclear sites are merely damaged and vows to retaliate.
Former Biden Pentagon spokesperson Chris Meagher says the tens of thousands of U.S. troops in the Middle East are now in danger.
"We have a lot of assets and a lot of defensive capabilities, and we should fully expect that Iran will attack those assets,” said Meagher.