US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the American military operation against Iran would conclude 'very soon,' though he did not provide a specific timeline for the end of the campaign. He also warned Iran against trying 'anything cute' that could escalate tensions again.
Speaking during a press conference in Florida, Trump claimed the strikes had severely weakened Iran’s leadership and military capabilities. The US President said the operation had already achieved great results and described it as highly effective.
“Very soon. Look, everything they have is gone, including their leadership,” Trump said while responding to questions from reporters. He added that multiple layers of Iran’s leadership structure had been eliminated during the operation, describing the strikes as “very powerful” and “very effective.”
Earlier, Trump had referred to the military campaign as an “excursion,” suggesting that the United States had intervened at the right time to prevent Iran from expanding its influence in the region and threatening Israel.
“They were going to take over the Middle East and they were going to try and destroy Israel. So we stopped it with good timing,” Trump said, adding that the US was proud of its involvement in the operation. He also warned Tehran against any further escalation, stating that if hostilities resumed, Iran would face even stronger retaliation.
Iran's Military Infrastructure Largely Destroyed, Says Trump
Trump further claimed that Iran’s military infrastructure was largely destroyed during the early phase of the campaign, which he said was carried out under the codename Operation Epic Fury. According to him, the operation had crippled Iran’s navy, air force, radar systems and communication networks within the first two days.
In a separate interview with CBS, Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran, cautioning Iranian authorities against attempting any further actions against the US or its allies. “If they do anything bad, that would be the end of Iran,” he said, adding that the United States considered the campaign a 'tremendous success.'
Trump Disappointed On Mojtaba Khamenei's Appointment
Meanwhile, Trump also reacted to the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader. The cleric was recently chosen for the position by the Assembly of Experts following the death of former leader Ali Khamenei. Trump expressed disappointment over the appointment, saying he believed the leadership change could prolong tensions rather than resolve them.
The leadership transition comes amid escalating regional instability after the conflict intensified across the Middle East. In retaliation for the strikes, Tehran launched counterattacks targeting American military bases in several Arab countries and Israeli-linked assets across the region, raising concerns about further escalation.
