Washington, March 3 (SANA) U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the primary objective of ongoing military operations against Iran is to destroy its ballistic missile capabilities and naval power.
Rubio said Monday, according to Agency France-Presse, that the United States carried out a preemptive strike last Saturday based on intelligence assessments indicating that Israel was preparing to launch a unilateral attack that could have exposed U.S. forces to retaliatory action.
On the political objectives of the operation, Rubio said the United States supports regime change in Tehran but emphasized that toppling the Iranian government is not the direct aim of the joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign. He added that he hoped for a new political model in Iran driven by internal movements.
The United States and Israel have continued their military offensive against Iran since early Saturday. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that a broader wave of strikes could begin soon and might last about four weeks.
