Trump says ‘big wave’ of war with Iran is yet to come

On Monday, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth refused to give a timeline for the US‑Israeli war against Iran, saying that President Donald Trump would decide on the duration of military action against Tehran.

However, he added that military operations against Iran will not lead to an endless war: ‘This is not Iraq. This is not endless.’ The goal is to destroy Tehran’s missiles, navy and other security infrastructure. ‘We will strike them surgically, decisively, and without apology,’ Hegseth declared.

President Trump said on Sunday that the operations could last four to five weeks. On Monday, he told CNN that the ‘big wave’ of war with Iran is yet to come, adding that Washington does not know who will be the new leader of the country after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine noted on Monday that achieving military objectives will take time and that further American casualties are expected. Kuwait also accidentally shot down three American F‑35 fighter jets.

According to Caine, the United States will continue to strengthen its military presence in the region. Iranian spiritual leaders showed no signs of backing down after the attacks, and according to military experts, air power alone, without ground troops, may not be enough to push them out.

(reuters, max)