Before Trump’s Iran Op, US Had Threatened To Bomb These Countries ‘Back To Stone Ages’ Too

Last Updated:April 03, 2026, 13:51 IST

After Trump's remarks against Iran, News18 traces back the history of the phrase "bomb back to the Stone Age", which has been a recurring threat by US military

On April 1, 2026, United States (US) President Trump warned Iran he would bomb the country “back to the stone ages" if it did not accept Washington’s terms to end the conflict. Minutes later, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth doubled down by posting “Back to the Stone Age" on social media.

The phrase “bomb back to the Stone Age" has been a recurring threat in US military history, used to signal the intent to destroy a nation’s modern infrastructure through carpet bombing.

News18 traces back the history.

What has US done in the past?

The rhetoric follows a decades-old pattern of US officials threatening total infrastructure destruction:

Vietnam War (1965): The phrase is widely attributed to USAir Force General Curtis LeMay in his 1965 book, Mission with LeMay. He suggested the North Vietnamese should “stop their aggression, or we’re going to bomb them back into the Stone Age". LeMay later claimed he was describing a capability rather than a recommendation. This was later actualised in campaigns like the 1972 “Christmas bombings" of Hanoi and Haiphong.

1991 Gulf War: Secretary of State James Baker reportedly threatened Iraq’s foreign minister that the US would bomb Iraq “back to the Stone Age" if it did not withdraw from Kuwait.

Post-9/11: Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf claimed U.S. official Richard Armitage warned Pakistan would be “bombed back to the Stone Age" if it did not support the war on the Taliban.

What is the US legacy of carpet bombing?

The US legacy of carpet bombing — the systematic destruction of a large area through the dense dropping of unguided bombs — is defined by its transition from a core World War II strategy to a controversial and legally scrutinised tactic in modern conflicts.

Major Historical Campaigns

World War II (Pacific Theatre): In March 1945, the US launched a massive incendiary campaign against Japanese cities. A single night of bombing in Tokyo killed over 100,000 people and left up to one million homeless. By the war’s end, most of Japan’s urban areas were destroyed, with Manila becoming the second-most-destroyed city of the war.

Korean War (1950–1953): The US dropped more ordnance (635,000 tons) on Korea than it did in the entire Pacific War. The campaign destroyed 95% of North Korea’s power generation and 80% of its buildings, leaving many cities as “snow-covered wasteland".

Vietnam War & Laos: Operation Linebacker II in 1972 saw B-52s drop over 15,000 tons of bombs on Hanoi and Haiphong in just 12 days. Additionally, Laos became the most bombed country per capita in history, with over 2 million tons of ordnance dropped between 1964 and 1973.

Gulf War (1991): While framed as a “precision" war, subsequent reports indicated that less than 10% of the 250,000 bombs dropped were precision munitions; the majority were conventional “dumb" bombs used for area saturation.

What happened after remarks by Trump and Hegseth

Following these threats, the US-Israeli strikes targeted major civilian infrastructure, including the B1 bridge in Karaj, one of Iran’s largest, and the Pasteur Institute medical research centre. Trump later warned that electric power plants would be next.

What are the legal and human rights?

Legal experts, including Janina Dill of the University of Oxford, state that targeting structures essential to modern society — such as power plants, schools, and medical facilities — constitutes a systematic violation of the laws of war, according to Al Jazeera.

The Iranian consulate and military commanders have mocked the rhetoric, contrasting the U.S.’s 250-year history with Iran’s.

KEY FAQs

What does “bomb back to the Stone Age" refer to?

It’s a phrase linked to extreme military threats, often associated with the Vietnam War, meaning destroying a country’s infrastructure through massive bombing.

What is carpet bombing?

Carpet bombing is dropping bombs over a wide area rather than precise targets. The US used this tactic in wars like World War II and the Korean War.

Why is it controversial?

Because it often causes large-scale destruction and civilian casualties, raising ethical concerns that are still debated today.

With AP, PTI, agency inputs

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