‘Big one is coming’: Trump warns of major escalation in Iran strikes after initial attacks
WASHINGTON, DC: More than 48 hours after launching “Operation Epic Fury,” a sweeping campaign that began with the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of his top commanders, the United States is preparing to intensify its assault on Iran.
President Donald Trump told Jake Tapper on CNN that the bombardment is far from over. On Monday, March 2, Trump vowed to ramp up the strikes, warning, “The big one is coming.”
Trump warns Iran strikes will intensify
Trump said in a nine-minute phone interview with CNN on March 2 that US forces are hitting Iran hard, but even stronger attacks are still ahead. Speaking to Jake Tapper, Trump said the military campaign is going “very well” and called the US armed forces “the greatest military in the world.”
Trump discussed how long the conflict could last, Iran’s retaliation, and what might come next for the country’s leadership. He said, "I don’t want to see it go on too long. I always thought it would be four weeks. And we’re a little ahead of schedule.”
When asked whether the US is doing anything beyond military action to support the Iranian people, Trump said, "Yes, We are indeed. But right now we want everyone staying inside. It’s not safe out there." He warned, "We haven’t even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon."
Trump also spoke about Arab leaders in the region, calling them “tough and smart.” He said Iranian attacks on civilian buildings, including a hotel and an apartment complex, angered people who had not planned to get involved.
The president again pointed to Iran’s nuclear program as a long-standing source of tension in the region, saying, "You have to understand, they were living under that dark cloud for years. That’s why you could never have peace."
Trump says Iran leadership unclear after strikes
When asked who might take power in Iran, President Donald Trump said it remains unclear. “We don’t know who the leadership is. We don’t know who they’ll pick,” he said, adding that dozens of senior Iranian figures have been killed.
Trump claimed 49 leaders were taken out and said some of them had been possible successors. With so many gone, he said neither the US nor Iran knows who is now in charge.
Trump described the latest offensive as part of a broader effort to counter Iran’s influence. He pointed to the 2020 US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, calling it a "big move." Without that strike, Trump said, "We don’t know who the leadership is. We don’t know who they’ll pick."
He also highlighted “Midnight Hammer,” referring to the 2025 US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, and said Iran had been close to developing a nuclear weapon. Trump again criticized the nuclear deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama, arguing it empowered Iran and put it on a path toward obtaining a bomb.
In recent negotiations, Trump said Iran refused US demands. “They weren’t willing to give us what we asked for,” he said, before ending the call.
