Trump warns biggest strike on Iran yet to come as he says war could last 'for weeks'
The US's operation in Iran is 'substantially ahead of projections' but could go on for weeks yet, he told a medal ceremony at the White House
Donald Trump has said the biggest US-Israeli strike on Iran is yet to come - as he warned that the conflict could last for weeks as chaos grips the Middle East.
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Speaking to CNN, the President said: “We’re knocking the crap out of them. I think it’s going very well. It’s very powerful. We’ve got the greatest military in the world, and we’re using it.”
“We haven’t even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon.”
The comments to the US broadcaster came after Mr Trump said his war with Iran could continue for weeks to come as he refused to rule out putting American troops on the ground in the Middle East.
Speaking from the White House on Monday, Trump said Iran having nuclear weapons would mark an "intolerable threat" to the Middle East and the US, as he said his military operation was "ahead of schedule."
It comes after the US and Israel launched a massive wave of strikes on Iran over the weekend, killing the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The US's operation in Iran is "substantially ahead of our time projections" of four to five weeks, Trump told a medal ceremony at the White House.
He added the US has the "capability to go far longer than that" and rejected recent reports the White House wants fighting to end quickly.
"I don't get bored, there's nothing boring about this," Trump said.
"Somebody actually said from the media, 'I think he'll get bored after about a week or two'... no, we don't get bored. I never get bored.
"For almost 47 years, this regime has been attacking the United States and killing Americans," he added.
"Every time you see someone with missing arms and legs or a face that's been absolutely shattered violently, it was almost certainly caused by an Iran roadside bomb."
It comes after Trump refused to rule out putting US troops on the ground in Iran.
“I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground — like every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.’ I don’t say it,” he told the New York Post.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth today claimed the US "didn't start the war" with Iran but said "under President Trump we will finish it."
Hegseth told reporters on Monday that the Iranian regime had waged a "savage, one-sided war against America" for the past" 47 long years."
His comments come after suspected Iranian strikes hit the UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar, in response to the US and Israeli blasts on Saturday morning, which killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
During a press conference, Hegseth said: "We didn't start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it."
He also claimed the US had given Iran "every chance" to agree to a resolution on its nuclear programme, but said they "were not negotiating and were stalling."
He said that "Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions."
"We hope the Iranian people take advantage of this incredible opportunity," he added.
"This is not Iraq, this is not endless. Our generation knows better and so does this President.
"War is hell and always will be. Our grateful nation honours the four Americans we have lost thus far and those injured – the absolute best of America."
It comes after three US fighter jets were shot down by Kuwaiti air defences in an apparent friendly fire incident on Sunday evening, the US Central Command confirmed.
In its statement, Central Command confirmed that all six aircrew had ejected safely, and are in stable condition after being recovered.
A Kuwaiti Defence Ministry spokesman confirmed multiple US military planes crashed in the early hours of Monday morning.
The US military said: "Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defence forces and their support in this ongoing operation."
Three US military service members were also killed in action in the Middle East after a warship was struck by Iran in retaliation to the US-Israeli strikes.
Hegseth also confirmed there were no American soldiers on the ground in Iran but hinted they could send troops in the future.
He said: "We won’t go into the exercise of what we will or won’t do. We'll go as far as we need to go."