'TOO LATE for Iran to...': Trump says Tehran's military and leadership eliminated

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (March 3) said that Iranian leadership “wants to talk” amid joint US-Israel strikes on Tehran but added, “It’s too late.” He claimed that Iran’s “air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone.”

This comes after Trump previously stated that the United States has “the capability to go far longer” than its projected four-to-five-week military operations against Iran.

In an interview with the New York Post, Trump did not rule out sending United States troops on the ground, leaving open the possibility of a broader military campaign. “I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground, like every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.’ I don’t say it,” Trump said. “I say ‘probably don’t need them,’ (or) ‘if they were necessary.’”

Also Read: WATCH | CNN's Turkish journalists detained in Israel during Iran war coverage

United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday (March 2) that the administration would not engage in the “foolish” exercise of telegraphing “what we will or will not do.” Since Saturday afternoon (India time), US-Israel forces have launched ballistic missiles, including Tomahawks from warships in the Persian Gulf, and conducted air strikes using F-22 'Raptor' and F-35 stealth fighters. Iran retaliated with missile barrages and suicide UAV attacks, with Shahed drones targeting United States military bases, Israel, and civilian sites in neighboring Gulf nations.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.