Donald Trump was “cocked and loaded” to bomb Iran when he decided with 10 minutes to spare not to kill scores of people to avenge the loss of an unmanned spy drone.
The President said the mission had already begun when he asked a general how many people would be killed and was told, “150, sir.”
He told Twitter followers he then decided to call off the attack.
Trump’s chilling account will heighten fears that a mistake could start a war with Iran that both sides say they don’t want.
US reports claim Pentagon officials warned him that a military response could lead to a spiralling escalation, with risks for US forces in the region.
All Trump’s top advisers backed attacks to punish Iran for shooting down the drone, which America says was over international waters. The Iranians say it flew into their airspace.
Plans were made to strike radar and missile sites, but timed for just before dawn yesterday in the hope of killing as few people as possible.
Trump tweeted: “We were cocked and loaded to retaliate last night on three different sights (sic) when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General.
“Ten minutes before the strike I stopped it, not proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone. I am in no hurry, our military is rebuilt and ready to go.”
Later, Trump told NBC News he was ready for direct talks with the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, or its president, Hassan Rouhani, with no preconditions.
Officials in Tehran said Trump had passed a message to them through Oman, warning them that they were about to be attacked and offering talks on a range of issues.
They said it would be up to Khamenei whether to accept. He has previously said there will be no talks while his country remains under US sanctions.
The Iranians also claimed that when they shot down the drone, they held back from firing on a US plane with 35 people on board which was alongside it.
America has barred all its civil ian aircraft from Iranian-controlled airspace, and British Airways, Qantas, Air France, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and KLM are also re-routing their flights.
Tensions with Iran have been escalating since Trump pulled America out of the global deal which had halted its nuclear weapons programme.
He believes his approach of tougher sanctions will force Tehran to fall into line.
