Trump Warns of “Big Wave” of Strikes as U.S. Operation Against Iran Enters Third Day
President Donald Trump said the United States is striking Iran forcefully as the military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury enters its third day, warning that a larger phase of attacks is still to come.
Speaking to CNN, Trump claimed the operation was progressing successfully and signaled a significant escalation ahead.
“It’s going very well. It’s very powerful. We have the greatest military in the world and we’re using it,” Trump said. “We haven’t even started hitting them hard yet. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon.”
Rising Regional Tensions
Trump described Iranian attacks on Arab nations including Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as a “big surprise,” as tensions continue to spread across the Middle East.
Overnight, an Iranian missile reportedly struck RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign base in Cyprus. Meanwhile, several U.S. fighter jets were reportedly shot down over Kuwait in what has been described as a possible friendly fire incident.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated that American forces may use British bases only for defensive purposes.
“Any UK action must have a lawful basis and a clear, carefully considered plan. We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran, and we will not join offensive action,” Starmer said.
U.S. Casualties Confirmed
U.S. officials confirmed that a fourth American service member has died from injuries sustained during the operation in Iran. According to a statement, the service member had been critically wounded during Iran’s initial attacks and later succumbed to those injuries.
Following the reported drone strike in Cyprus, President Nikos Christodoulides emphasized that Cyprus is not participating in any military operation.
“I want to be clear: Our country does not participate in any way and does not intend to be part of any military operation,” he said, adding that national forces remain on full operational alert.
