Bolton warns Iran not to mistake US prudence for weakness

US National Security Adviser John Bolton on Sunday warned Iran not to "mistake US prudence and discretion for weakness," after President Donald Trump abruptly called off airstrikes against Iranian targets that were planned in response to the downing of an American military drone.

At a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu here, Bolton underlined that military action against Iran still remained very much an option despite the airstrikes being called off, reported The New York Times.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had shot down an "intruding American spy drone", RQ-4 Global Hawk, on Thursday after it reportedly violated Iranian airspace over the southern coastal province of Hormozgan.

The incident led to a new high in the tensions between the two countries. During an intense discussion that ensued at the White House following the attack, Trump had approved a retaliatory action on a handful of Iranian targets, like radar and missile batteries.

However, with ships already in position and planes in the air, the operation was abruptly called off on Thursday night. The airstrikes were scrapped as they could have caused civilian casualties.