US President Donald Trump said that the US military is carrying out what he described as very powerful strikes against Iran as part of the ongoing military operation, warning that a "big wave" of action is yet to come.
"We haven't even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn't even happened. The big one is coming soon," Trump told CNN.
Asked how long the war might last, Trump said, "I don't want to see it go on too long. I always thought it would be four weeks. And we're a little ahead of schedule."
The US president described Iran's attacks on Arab Gulf states as the "biggest surprise," adding that initial US strikes resulted in the killing of a large number of Iranian leaders.
Trump said the collapse of talks with Tehran had forced Washington to resort to military action, stating that the current operation "is the way to deal with Iran" in the absence of an agreement.
His remarks come as the US Department of State urged American citizens to leave the Middle East immediately, while Iran continues missile attacks on Israel and other countries in the region.