President Donald Trump on Sunday revealed how long he anticipates military action against Iran to last, saying in a new interview that the strikes and their fallout have largely gone according to plan.
“It’s always been a four-week process,” Trump told the Daily Mail in a phone interview Sunday. “We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four week process so – as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks – or less.”
Trump’s statement came one day after the president announced that the U.S. had launched joint airstrikes with Israel in Iran targeting senior government leadership. At least three American military members died along with hundreds of civilians in Iran and nearly a dozen civilians in Israel.
Trump told the Daily Mail none of the retaliatory strikes have taken the administration by surprise.
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“I think it’s going as per planned,” the president said while on a weekend trip to his Mar-a-Lago estate.
Trump did not provide details on whether he planned to deploy ground troops in Iran, though several lawmakers denied that the president intended to do so.
Israel reported that the military operations were aimed at Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in the attack. It was not immediately clear how many were killed as of Sunday.
Without providing additional details, Trump told the British tabloid: “Other than [Khamenei] we took out their entire leadership – far, far more than what we thought.”
“Looks like 48,” he added.
In a six-minute video posted to Truth Social on Sunday, Trump described “Operation Epic Fury” as the “largest, most complex, most overwhelming military offense the world has ever seen.”
“We have hit hundreds of targets in Iran including revolutionary guard facilities, Iranian air defense systems,” Trump continued. “Just now it was announced we knocked out nine ships plus their naval building.”
Trump said “combat operations” will continue until all the administration’s objectives are achieved. That includes an overthrow of the Islamic Republic currently running the country.
“I once again urge the Revolutionary Guard, the Iranian military, police to lay down your arms and receive full immunity or face certain death,” Trump said. “It will be certain death, won’t be pretty.”
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