TRUMP DOES NOT DISMISS SENDING AMERICAN FORCES INTO IRAN
Read Time:2 Minute, 25 Second
By: Fasasi Hammad
President Donald Trump on Monday stated that he is not ruling out sending US troops into Iran, while warning of a new, “big wave” of attacks.
The 79-year-old Republican, who has historically opposed prolonged US military involvement in the Middle East, launched a large-scale offensive against Iran starting Saturday. So far, the strikes have been limited to air operations using missiles and bombs, but Trump refused to dismiss the possibility of deploying ground forces, acknowledging the higher risk of casualties.
“I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground,” Trump told the New York Post, referring to anxiety with a golf term. “Every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.’ I don’t say it. I say ‘probably don’t need them’ or ‘if they were necessary.’”
Speaking to CNN, Trump also indicated that the campaign against Iran has only just begun. “We haven’t even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon,” he said.
US and Israeli forces have reportedly struck hundreds of targets, including Iran’s missile facilities, navy, and command-and-control sites. Four US service members have died, and three fighter jets were lost, officially due to friendly fire.
Iran has responded by launching missiles at Israel, US bases in the region, and targets in neighboring Arab countries — including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE — an action Trump described as “the biggest surprise.”
At a White House award ceremony, Trump suggested that the assault could extend beyond the month-long timeframe initially projected. “We’re already substantially ahead of our time projections,” he said. “From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that. We’ll do it.”
Trump defended the offensive by citing Iran’s alleged nuclear and missile programs, which have been disputed internationally. “This was our last, best chance to strike and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime,” he said.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that ground troop deployment had not been ruled out. “No, but we’re not going to go into the exercise of what we will or will not do. We’ll go as far as we need to go,” he said, adding that the operation’s timeline remains flexible.
Hegseth stressed that the campaign differs from past long-term wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, noting it is not aimed at nation-building or promoting democracy. “No stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy-building exercise. No politically correct wars. We fight to win and we don’t waste time or lives,” he said.
General Dan Caine, the top US military officer, said that air superiority over Iran has been established, which will protect US forces and allow operations to continue.
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