Trump says in 'no hurry' for Iran strikes

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Friday he is in "no hurry" to bomb Iran, revealing that US forces were "cocked and loaded" but that he called them back with minutes to go in order to avoid mass casualties.

"I am in no hurry," Trump said in a series of tweets detailing his thought process during the late Thursday decision to send, then recall US forces meant to retaliate for the downing by Iran of a US spy drone.

"10 minutes before the strike I stopped it," the president said, explaining that a general had told him to expect 150 deaths on the Iranian side and that he had concluded this would not be a "proportionate" response.