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US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has claimed he could “take out Iran in one night” and has reiterated his threat to bomb the country “back to the Stone Ages” if Tehran does not comply with his deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. More alarming, he proclaimed yesterday “a whole civilisation will die tonight”, interpreted by some as a threat to use nuclear weapons.
While detailing the extensive operation conducted by the US forces to rescue the crew of a fighter jet shot down by Iranian missiles, he seemed uncertain about the endgame in a war that has now entered its sixth week. His contradictory statements on how the war could end has left the world perplexed. After escalating his threat to decimate Iran, he hinted at a “less radicalised” Iranian leadership and a diplomatic solution. He claimed that regime change had already occurred in Iran.
Trump seemed unconcerned that his threat to bomb Iranian infrastructure could constitute a war crime. Earlier, he sparked a political firestorm by posting an expletive-laden warning to Iran and threatening further military escalation if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz and agree to a deal on his terms. He also suggested seizing Iran’s oil fields, declaring, “To the victor belong the spoils”, as if he had already won the war.
His delusional claims and mixed messages have left the world anxious. With only a day remaining, at the time of writing, before his deadline, the international community awaited Trump’s next move, particularly since Iran has rejected his ceasefire demands and threatened severe reprisals. The madness of the leader at the helm of the world’s most powerful nation seems knows no bounds. He is becoming increasingly dangerous, especially as Iran continues to refuse to capitulate despite the extensive destruction wrought by the US and Israel on its soil.
The madness of the leader at the helm of the world’s most powerful nation knows no bounds.
Trump’s growing war crimes and his latest threats are ominous. America, in coordination with Israel, has intensified attacks not only on civilian and energy infrastructure but also on educational and research centres. Several university campuses have been bombed. This appears to be part of Trump’s threat to decimate Iran.
According to Iranian authorities, at least 30 universities have been hit by US and Israel since the start of the war. Last week, a US-Israeli strike caused severe destruction at the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran. Widely considered Iran’s best university, it is also ranked among the world’s top universities in the field of civil engineering and artificial intelligence. The iconic institution, which is a symbol of Iran’s modernisation, has produced some world-renowned mathematicians and engineers. Media reports suggest that many laboratories have been destroyed as the campus infrastructure was hit. The US-Israel coalition also bombed the Laser and Plasma Research Institute.
Ignoring international outrage and condemnation, the US and Israel have continued to target academic institutions with an impunity rarely seen in modern history. In addition to striking university campuses, the US-Israel coalition has targeted eminent scientists and scholars. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed reports that Israeli strikes have killed several Iranian nuclear scientists, framing the campaign as part of a larger effort to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme.
Such attacks, aimed at decimating centres of higher learning and the scientific environment, not only violate international law but also constitute war crimes. These actions will perpetuate Israel’s American-backed genocidal war in Gaza and the wanton destruction of Lebanon. On the first day of the war, American missiles struck a school in Iran killing more than 150 girl students. Most concerning is the effort by the Trump administration to frame the conflict with Iran in religious and civilisational terms. Recently, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called for prayers for military victory “in the name of Jesus Christ”.
According to a report in the New York Times, “More than any top American military leader in recent history, Mr Hegseth has framed US military operations [...] as bigger than politics or foreign policy. Often he has imbued these actions with a Christian moral underpinning... .” He also prayed for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy”.
American troops are reportedly told that the conflict in Iran is aimed at paving the way for the end times and Armageddon. The belief is that Trump “has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to trigger Armageddon and mark His return to Earth”.
In a recent Pentagon news briefing, Hegseth reportedly stated: “Crazy regimes like Iran, hell-bent on [religious] delusions, cannot have nuclear weapons.” Religion is also employed to justify America’s support for Israel.
Mike Huckabee, American ambassador to Israel, reportedly told prominent commentator Tucker Carlson that it would be “fine” if Israel took “essentially the entire Middle East” because it was promised the land in the Bible. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu compared Iran to the Amalekites, seen in Jewish tradition as representing evil.
It is extremely dangerous to rationalise an imperialist war of aggression through religious and civilisational rhetoric. Trump’s actions have pushed the region closer to a wider conflagration and have also impacted the global economy. His latest statements have raised fears of further escalation.
The calculated assassinations of senior Iranian political and military leaders have created a serious leadership vacuum, likely to be filled by more radical elements, making any efforts at mediation extremely difficult.
While America and Israel can decimate Iran’s civil and military infrastructure, they cannot force it to capitulate. Iran has hardened its position, given the relentless destruction of its land, complicating any attempts at de-escalation. Trump’s threats of escalation have worsened the situation. We will have to wait and see what he does next.
The writer is an author and journalist.
X: @hidhussain
Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2026
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