"Missiles that would hit San Diego and Los Angeles": Donald Trump's unusual warning

US President Donald Trump claimed at a campaign rally that Iran possesses a missile capable of striking Europe and warned of an attack on Los Angeles and San Diego. However, US intelligence assessments do not confirm such an operational capability at this time.

US President Donald Trump claimed last night at a campaign rally in Corinth, Mississippi, that Iran possesses a missile capable of striking Europe, and warned of a possible attack on Los Angeles and San Diego. Trump said: "Now they have a missile... They would hit our cities. They would hit San Diego, they would hit Los Angeles." The remarks were made at a rally supporting Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith ahead of the midterm elections on November 3. The war with Iran and its economic consequences are among the issues weighing on Republicans. However, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Iran has not yet tested or deployed a missile capable of reaching the United States. Iran's arsenal includes short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, including the Shahab-3, Emad, Qader, and Sejjil, with a range of up to 2,000 kilometers. In March, two Iranian missiles were reportedly fired at the US-British base on Diego Garcia, one of which was intercepted. A 2025 assessment by the US Defense Intelligence Agency determined that Iran could develop an intercontinental ballistic missile with military capability by 2035. Trump added that "we didn't start the war, Iran started it," referring to the 1979 Islamic revolution.