CNN anchor Jake Tapper recently provided a significant update on the United States’ ongoing military operation in Iran, following an exclusive nine-minute phone interview with President Donald Trump. Speaking on air with Kate Bolduan, Tapper relayed Trump’s confident assessment of the strikes, quoting the president saying, “We’re knocking the crap out of them. I think it’s going very well. It’s very powerful. They’ve got the greatest military in the world, and we’re using it.” Trump indicated that he anticipated the operation would last approximately four weeks, suggesting they were “a little ahead of schedule.” He also confirmed that the U.S. was undertaking efforts beyond military strikes to assist the Iranian people, though he cautioned them to “staying inside” for safety. Critically, President Trump warned of further escalation, stating that the “big wave hasn’t even happened” and “the big one is coming soon.”
Tapper described Trump’s demeanor during the call as “very pleased” with the operation’s progress and “very resolute” concerning the Iranian threat. The President reportedly felt confident that this military approach was the “right decision” given the Iranian regime’s history of “unrest, terrorism, all of the menace” since the 1979 revolution. Further details from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth clarified the operation’s “laser-focused” objectives: to “destroy Iranian missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure,” ensuring Iran “will never have nuclear weapons.” He emphasized that this was “not Iraq” and would “not be endless,” distinguishing it from previous “nation-building wars” that President Trump criticized.
Hegseth framed the operation, officially known as Operation Epic Fury, as a “clear, devastating, decisive mission” focused purely on neutralizing the specified threats. He confirmed that there were currently “no U.S. military boots on the ground” in Iran, though he refrained from ruling out future actions. Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added that battle damage assessments would take time and inform future targeting decisions by CENTCOM. Notably, these statements came amidst reports that Iran’s long-tenured supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several other top officials, had already been removed. The operation commenced on a Saturday, indicating it was in its early stages at the time of these remarks.
