Trump Warns Iran of Major Attacks as War Expands
President Donald Trump warned Monday that the "great wave" of attacks on Iran is yet to come, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate following the joint U.S.-Israeli offensive. In a television interview with CNN, the president said that the military operation could last between four and five weeks, although he left open the possibility that it could last longer.
Trump claimed that Tehran ignored his warnings about its nuclear program and did not rule out sending U.S. troops to Iranian territory if it deemed it "necessary." His remarks come amid ongoing bombardment and growing regional tension that already involves several Persian Gulf countries. In the last few hours, the US embassy in Kuwait was hit by attacks during an Iranian bombardment, according to sources quoted by national media. Although no injuries were reported, diplomatic personnel were instructed to take cover. In addition, the U.S. military confirmed that three fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses in an apparent "friendly fire" incident. The conflict is also widening on Israel's northern front, where exchanges of attacks between the Israeli army and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon continue. Lebanese officials said at least 52 people were killed and more than 150 wounded after Israeli shelling of the armed group's positions. Meanwhile, Israeli officials said Iran's ability to launch ballistic missiles could be severely affected in the next 24 hours, after more than 1,200 targets were hit in the first days of the offensive. According to these sources, the pace of Iranian missile launches into Israel would begin to slow down in the coming hours. The global impact is already being felt. Qatar suspended liquefied natural gas production following an attack on one of its energy facilities, leading to a spike in oil prices. In addition, several countries closed their airspace and international airlines canceled flights to and from the Middle East. In Washington, the Capitol reinforced its security as a preventive measure, although officials pointed out that there is no specific or credible threat on U.S. soil. Still, the political climate has intensified, with lawmakers questioning the scope of the military operation and the risk of a protracted war. With explosions reported in cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, and warnings crossed between regional leaders, the international community is watching with concern the direction of the conflict. Analysts say the next few hours will be decisive in determining whether the confrontation is contained or if it leads to a larger-scale war with global consequences. |