Highlights:
- Trump says he will not rule out US ground troops in Iran.
- Operation Epic Fury targeted Iran’s military and political leadership.
- Trump claims 49 senior Iranian officials were killed in one day.
- Trump says the conflict may end sooner than the four-week estimate.
- Polling shows Americans divided over Trump’s decision to strike Iran.
- Trump says preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is the priority.
President Trump said he is not ruling out sending US ground troops into Iran if conditions require it, following large-scale airstrikes carried out under Operation Epic Fury. Trump said the operation has already killed dozens of senior Iranian officials and is progressing faster than military planners anticipated.
The comments from Donald Trump come as tensions escalate in the region after joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US allies.
Trump keeps military options open, including ground troops
In an interview on Monday, Trump addressed the possibility of deploying US ground forces.
“I don’t say there will be no boots on the ground,” Trump said.
He added that ground troops are “probably not needed,” but would be considered “if they were necessary.”
By declining to rule out ground deployment, Trump signaled that the US could escalate its involvement depending on developments on the ground. The statement has intensified debate over whether the current air campaign could expand into a broader military engagement.
Trump says Operation Epic Fury is ahead of schedule
Trump said Operation Epic Fury was designed to weaken Iran’s command structure and disrupt military operations. According to Trump, 49 top Iranian leaders were killed in a single day of strikes. He said military planners initially projected that outcome would take at least four weeks.
“We’re right on schedule, way ahead of schedule,” he said.
Trump had previously estimated that the conflict might last about four weeks. He now suggested it could conclude earlier than expected.
Among those killed was Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, following the joint US and Israeli attack. The strike has created uncertainty about Iran’s future leadership and raised concerns about potential further retaliation.
Trump cites renewed nuclear activity as trigger
Trump said he authorized the strikes after diplomatic talks in Geneva broke down. He stated that US intelligence revealed Iran was secretly continuing nuclear enrichment at a newly identified site.
Trump had earlier said Iran’s nuclear facilities had been destroyed. However, officials later discovered a new location where enrichment activities were underway.
“They wanted to make a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “So it was just time.”
Trump said the decision was based on national security concerns and not political considerations.
“I have to do the right thing,” he said. “You cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump says US prepared for retaliation
Trump also addressed concerns about retaliation, including terrorism or expanded regional conflict.
“We’ll take it out,” he said.
Iran has already launched waves of missiles and drones targeting Israel and US allies following the strikes. Smoke was reported rising over parts of Tehran after the operation.
As Operation Epic Fury continues, Trump maintains that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains the central objective. While he has not committed to deploying US ground troops, he has made clear that under his leadership, that option remains available.
