US President Donald Trump has said he believes the war with Iran will end soon, but offered no details on how the conflict could be brought to a close.
Speaking ahead of the November 3 midterm congressional elections, Trump made the remarks during an interview with Kansas City radio station KCMO on Friday, Reuters reported.
“It’s going to get wrapped up soon,” Trump said, adding that the US needed a guarantee that Iran would never acquire a nuclear weapon.
“We need a guarantee there’ll never be a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Trump has previously said that the US would not strike Iran before the elections.
US Deploys Missile Systems Near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Estate
Meanwhile, new surface-to-air missile systems have been deployed at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago golf estate in Florida and near the Trump International Airport in West Palm Beach, amid concerns over a possible escalation in the conflict with Iran.
The US Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the President, has described the deployment as “another layer of security”. However, the timing of the move has drawn attention as indications grow that the US and Israel could be weighing another round of military action against Iran after the November 3 midterm elections.
A pair of Avenger Air Defence Systems have been stationed on a floating barge in the Lake Worth Lagoon, on the western side of Trump’s sprawling 17-acre oceanfront estate. Trump has previously described the property as the ‘Winter White House’.
The systems were first spotted by a photojournalist from the Palm Beach Daily last week, shortly before Trump arrived at the estate.
Another set of air defence systems has been positioned on the southern side of Donald J. Trump International Airport in West Palm Beach, close to the area where Air Force One is parked during the President’s visits.
What Are Avenger Missile Systems?
Avenger systems are short-range air defence units mounted on Humvee military vehicles. They are designed to fire surface-to-air missiles at aircraft, drones and other aerial threats, including those flying at low altitudes.
The systems can be operated by a two-person crew and are capable of firing while on the move. However, they are not designed to intercept long-range or ballistic missiles.
Aviation experts told WPTV that the systems are intended to serve as a last line of defence. Analyst Dewitt Ingram described them as a final layer of protection behind fighter jets and other security measures.
The deployments come amid plans to permanently secure the airspace over Mar-a-Lago. Since Trump returned to the White House last year, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has said it intercepted more than 60 aircraft near the Florida estate.
On October 24, an F-16 fighter jet intercepted an aircraft that had violated restricted airspace near Mar-a-Lago.
NORAD and the US Northern Command confirmed the deployment of the missile systems but did not specify whether a particular threat had prompted the move.
“At the request of the US Secret Service… NORAD and USNORTHCOM deployed ground-based air defence assets in and around Mar-a-Lago, Florida. Due to security considerations, we cannot provide tactics, techniques and procedural specifics,” NORAD said in a statement.
Do The Deployments Signal A Possible Iran Escalation?
The deployment comes against the backdrop of growing indications that the US and Israel could be preparing for another major military confrontation with Iran after the November 3 midterm elections.
US Senator Chris Murphy recently said that a select group of officials had been briefed on a proposed war plan, which he described as “insane”.
“Some of us have been briefed on the war plan. And while I cannot disclose any details, I can say this: the plan is insane. It will not achieve objectives and will set off a new cycle of escalation,” Murphy said.
A Washington Post report said the Trump administration had asked several Gulf countries to prepare for a short but intense military campaign after the midterm elections.
Separately, the US military has initiated a programme called FORTRESS, which involves preparing for a scenario in which American military bases could operate for 90 days without external support amid potential disruptions to power grids and other supply chains.
These developments have added to indications that the US and Israel may be weighing a fresh round of strikes against Iran. However, NORAD and the US Northern Command have not linked the deployment of air defence systems near Trump’s Florida estate to any specific threat or military plan.
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