U.S. President Donald Trump has broken the silence after the Iranian missile attack on U.S. Air Force refueling planes at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia a few days ago.
Taking to his Truth Social handle on Saturday, March 14, the President acknowledged the attack happened before he went on to call out a section of the media for repeatedly exaggerating the attack and misleading the public.
Trump noted that some media houses exaggerated the attack, and that their reporting is harmful to the interests of the United States in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly with Iran.
According to the US president, of the five planes targeted in this attack, four were not damaged and are already operational, adding that only one had minimal damage and will soon be operational again.
“Yet again, an intentionally misleading headline by the Fake News Media about the five tanker planes that were supposedly struck down at an Airport in Saudi Arabia, and of no further use. In actuality, the Base was hit a few days ago, but the planes were not ‘struck’ or ‘destroyed,” Trump wrote.
Trump went further and claimed that some of the media houses in the country are making false claims over the ongoing war with Iran. According to him, the media would like to see the U.S. lose the war to Iran.
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He singled out The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal for particular criticism, claiming their reporting caused big damage to the United States.
Recently, a section of the media claimed that five Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft were hit on the ground during an Iranian missile attack on the Saudi base. Two U.S. officials cited by the report said the planes were damaged but not destroyed.
Iran has been targeting U.S. assets in the Middle East, especially military bases, as retaliation since the escalation of Israel and U.S. military operations in Iran, which started last month.
Some of the bases targeted by Iran, including the Prince Sultan Air Base, host U.S. Forces that are taking part in the ongoing operations in Iran. It is also crucial in refueling missions, as the U.S. Air Force targets superiority in the Iranian sky.
While only one plane was slightly damaged, as noted by Trump, Iran’s missile attack adds to the fact that the United States suffered a military blow after a recent mid-air collision involving two KC-135s over Iraq that resulted in fatalities and another aircraft lost earlier in the conflict.
In President Trump’s opinion, the perceived inflammatory and dangerous media coverage can harm the interests of a country, and at the very least, it can undermine the morale of soldiers on the frontline.
Also Read: Five U.S. Air Force Tankers Hit in Iranian Missile Strike at Foreign Base
The U.S. vs Iran conflict has recorded intense military exchanges, with the U.S. lately striking military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island — a key oil export hub. Trump had earlier noted that the strike on this Island spared key oil regions, but warned that he might strike them in the long run if he is forced to do so.
On the other hand, Iran has been targeting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. allies in the Gulf. Oil prices have since surged amid disruptions, and diplomatic efforts remain stalled.
White House officials have not yet commented on Trump’s specific claims about the extent of repairs or the timelines for the aircraft’s return to service.
