U.S. President Donald Trump defended the continuation of military operations against the Iranian government and warned that if the Islamic Republic does not stop, the region may become involved in a broader conflict.

In an interview with the New York Post, President Trump said that the killing of two American servicemembers in attacks by the Islamic Republic was “regrettable,” but he stressed that America’s mission remains vital.

Speaking about an hour after the start of the latest U.S. operation against the Islamic Republic, Trump added: “They lost their lives because they didn’t want to see Iran obtain nuclear weapons and they didn’t want to see the Middle East destroyed.”

He emphasized: “This only shows how bad [the officials of the Islamic Republic] are.”

On Saturday night, the U.S. Army carried out its attacks against the Islamic Republic for the eighth consecutive night; these attacks ended after five and a half hours.

Trump has repeatedly stressed the U.S. determination to prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons.