While local reports revealed Wednesday that the Jordanian King Abdullah will authorize airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group, a U.S. official described the Arab monarch as citing a Hollywood movie character when expressing his wrath upon hearing that the militants had burned his countryman pilot alive during his captivity.

“He mentioned ‘Unforgiven’ and he mentioned Clint Eastwood, and he actually quoted a part of the movie,” Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr., a Marine Corps veteran of two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, who was in the meeting with the king, told Fox News Channel in an interview aired Wednesday.

King Abdullah had to cut his U.S. trip short after hearing the news that Moaz al-Kasasbeh was burned alive.

During a private session with members of the House Armed Services Committee lawmakers, the king expressed his anger by citing American movie icon Clint Eastwood.

“He said there is going to be retribution like ISIS hasn’t seen,” said the Marine Corps veteran.

However, Hunter would not say which part of “Unforgiven” the king quoted, but noted it was where Eastwood’s character describes how he is going to deliver his retribution.

“He’s angry,” Hunter said of King Abdullah. “They’re starting more sorties tomorrow than they’ve ever had. They’re starting tomorrow. And he said, ‘The only problem we’re going to have is running out of fuel and bullets.’”

“He’s ready to get it on,” Hunter added. “He really is. It reminded me of how we were after 9/11. We were ready to give it to them.”

Hunter also said that the lawmakers and King Abdullah did not make any mention of U.S. President Barack Obama.

He added: “ISIS is now going to regret this … because King Abdullah is not Barack Obama.”

The Jordan Times reported that thousands of Jordanians gathered on Wednesday to receive King Abdullah.

The Jordan times also reported that mosques and churches around the Kingdom held prayers on Wednesday in memory of al-Kasasbeh.

Meanwhile, a Jordanian government official on Thursday denied social media reports that King Abdullah flew missions against ISIS earlier on Thursday.

Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 09:44 - GMT 06:44