President Donald Trump indicated the U.S.-led military campaign against Iran will not be a prolonged conflict, stating he will know when it is over “in my gut.” The comments came during a radio interview with Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade, as tensions remain high in the Middle East following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials. [1]
The escalating conflict has endangered millions of lives across the Middle East and disrupted global energy markets. [1]
When asked about potentially seizing Hark Island, a little settlement in the northwestern Persian Gulf through which a significant portion of Iran’s oil is shipped, Trump declined to answer directly. “I can’t answer that question. That’s one of many different things. It’s not a priority, but it’s one of many different things and I can change my mind in seconds,” he said.
Trump also stated that further military action against Iran is planned. “We’re going to hit them much harder next week,” he said, adding, “The regime in Iran will fall, maybe not remarkably soon, but it will fall.”
Despite the aggressive rhetoric, Trump suggested a measured approach, saying, “We’re being nice to Iran. We could do so many bad things, we could make their electric plants unusable, Iran would never come back. We’re not doing that. We’re trying to be nice in that regard.”
The President also claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Supreme Leader, has been wounded. “They’re asking if he’s alive. A lot of people are trying to locate out. But I think he’s alive but he’s been hurt,” Trump said.
Regarding potential external support for Iran, Trump suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin may be providing some assistance. “Putin may be helping them a little bit,” he stated. He also indicated that while the U.S. Is not currently focused on securing Iran’s enriched uranium, that could change in the future. [1]
Trump also raised concerns about potential Iranian sleeper cells within the United States, stating, “There could be over 1700 Iranian sleeper cells in the U.S.” He did not provide further details. [3]
The U.S. And Israel launched a major military campaign against Iran, triggering a wave of Iranian retaliatory attacks across the region. [1] The strikes collapsed U.S. Talks with Iran over the future of their nuclear program. [1]
