The "big wave" is yet to come in the war with Iran, US President Donald Trump told CNN on Monday. "We haven't even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn't even happened. The big one is coming soon," said the US leader. His statement comes after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said there were currently no American troops on the ground in Iran, but left the option open, saying "we'll go as far as we need".
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Trump warns of longer Iran War
www.yahoo.com
... President Donald Trump signaled Monday that US strikes on Iran could go much longer than originally predicted, as his administration sought to counter criticism about conflicting messages on the war's goals.
In his first public comments since launching the military operation, the president who long campaigned for "no new wars" laid out what he said were four key objectives for hitting Iran.
Trump also said that the timeframe he initially gave could drag out, raising fears among right-wing supporters in particular of a return the Middle Eastern entanglements he once opposed.
"From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that," Trump said at the start of a medal presentation event at the White House.
Trump however said that the United States was "substantially ahead of our time projections", citing the killing of Iran's top leadership in the initial wave of strikes on Saturday.
The US president for the first time clearly laid out four explicit goals for Operation Epic Fury, saying it was the "last, best chance" to hit Washington's decades-long arch-foe.
"First, we're destroying Iran's missile capabilities... Second, we're annihilating their navy... Third, we're ensuring that the world's number-one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon.
"Finally we are ensuring the Iranian regime can't continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders."
- 'Big wave' -
Trump had previously made different and sometimes contradictory comments on the conflict in a series of telephone interviews since the strikes began on Saturday. ...
Iranians overcome with emotion, celebrate in Times Square rally
abc7ny.com
... Many were overcome with emotion as it all sank in - a time many Iranians in New York City thought they would never see freedom.
Hundreds gathered near the United Nations and made their way west, ending up in Times Square, where they celebrated.
"The person is killing my people for 47 years, American and Israel - they illuminated him," said Amir.
The death of the Supreme Leader, many are hoping will spark a seismic shift in leadership in Iran.
"When the government is over, they will join the people who are free," said rally organizer Reza Ebrahimi.
It was a sentiment shared by those around the world.
"Everyone who loves justice and peace on this planet needs to stand up to the Islamic terrorists that is the Islamic regime in Iran," said Harry Brodsky.
Brodsky, who is Jewish and lives in West Orange, like others, fears potential backlash from Saturday's military strikes, but says he is determined to show up.
"It's the littlest thing we could do to be brave and yes come despite the fact that there is a little bit of risk, we're going to come anyway," Brodsky said.
Doran Pooladi, who grew up in Shiraz, says she cannot wait to go home. ...
Oil jumps 10% on Iran conflict
www.channelnewsasia.com
... Brent crude jumped 10 per cent to about US$80 a barrel over the counter on Sunday (Mar 1), oil traders said, while analysts predicted that prices could climb as high as US$100 after United States and Israeli strikes on Iran plunged the Middle East into a new war. ...
Just one in four Americans supports US strikes on Iran, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
www.reuters.com
... Only one in four Americans approves of the U.S. strikes that killed Iran's leader, while about half " including one in four Republicans -- believe President Donald Trump is too willing to use military force, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded on Sunday. ...
The poll showed that 56% of Americans think Trump, who has also ordered strikes in Venezuela, Syria and Nigeria in recent months, is too willing to use military force to advance U.S. interests. The vast majority of Democrats - 87% - held this view, as did 23% of Republicans and 60% of people who don't identify with either political party. ...
Moscow gloats over potential oil price spike from Iran war
www.politico.eu
... Russian President Vladimir Putin may have lost another close ally after the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but an oil shock from conflict in Middle East spells potential good news for his war chest. ...
From the AP...
Live updates: Iran's 'potential new leadership' open to US talks, Trump is 'eventually' willing, AP source says
apnews.com
... A senior White House official says that "new potential leadership" in Iran has suggested they are open to talks with the United States after U.S. and Israeli forces launched a major attack on Iran, killing its supreme leader and other high-ranking officials.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, said President Donald Trump says he is "eventually" willing to talk, but for now, the military operation "continues unabated."
The official did not say who the potential new Iranian leaders are or how they made their alleged willingness to talk known. ...
Trump Exposed as Hypocrite by His Own Iran War Doomsday Warnings
www.thedailybeast.com
... For years, Donald Trump publicly claimed that a military attack on Iran would reflect an inability to negotiate, scrambled electioneering, or a limp attempt from a president to "show how tough" he is. ...
"Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly - not skilled!" Trump said. ...
"Our president will start a war with Iran because he has absolutely no ability to negotiate," Trump said of President Obama in a shouty video clip in November 2011. "He's weak and he's ineffective. ..."
"Now that Obama's poll numbers are in tailspin -- watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate."
...
Iran's Khamenei Killed in Major Victory for Trump, Netanyahu
www.newsweek.com
... Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in the U.S.- Israeli strikes on Iran, according to multiple reports.
The death of the Islamic Republic leader marks a major achievement for President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who both called for regime change and urged Iranians to rise up against the clerical government in the wake of the strikes.
Israeli officials initially said they saw "signs" that Khamenei was dead, but later said they had confirmed his death, saying his body had been found, Reuters reported. ...
Iranian officials declined to say with certainty Khamenei was alive, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying soon after the strikes the leader was still alive "as far as I know."
Earlier, there were reports that Khamenei had been relocated to a secure facility according to Iranian officials. Hours after the strikes, Iranian media also broadcast that Khamenei would be delivering an address to the nation. But that did not happen.
Netanyahu in a TV broadcast claimed that there were "signs" of Khamenei's demise, with Iran continuing to deny those reports, saying the supreme leader was "safe and sound" and later that he was "steadfast and firm in commanding the field," according to British outlet Sky News. ...
... without offering much in the way of specifics. ...
Pentagon offers no evidence to support claim it attacked Iran in defense
www.politico.com