Sources: Trump knew Iran might hit Gulf allies before strikes

Before ordering strikes on Iran, US President Donald Trump was warned that Tehran could retaliate against US allies in the Persian Gulf, despite his statements that the attacks came as a surprise, according to one US official and two sources familiar with intelligence assessments.

The unnamed US official told Reuters that Trump was informed prior to the February 28 US-Israel joint strike that an attack on Iran could trigger a wider regional conflict, including potential retaliation against Gulf countries, particularly if Tehran perceived these states as complicit in or supportive of US actions.

On March 16, Trump twice insisted that Iran’s attacks on Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait were unexpected. “They (Iran) weren't supposed to go after all ​these other countries in the Middle East," he said. "Nobody expected that. We were shocked."

Two other sources familiar with the situation noted that Trump was also warned that Iran was likely to attempt to block the economically critical Strait of Hormuz following the operation.

By Khagan Isayev