U.S. President Donald Trump said the conflict with Iran could either become a prolonged war to control all of Iran or end within two to three days.
In a phone interview with Axios on the 28th (local time), Trump stated, "We could end it in 2-3 days and tell Iran, 'See you in a few years if you start rebuilding your nuclear missile program.'"
Axios noted that this "suggests Trump is still open to a diplomatic solution." The outlet observed that this contrasts with earlier remarks by some U.S. and Israeli officials who said the operation's goal was regime change in Iran. Trump's political base, the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement, strongly opposes deep U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts.
A senior U.S. official said at a press briefing that day regarding the decision to attack: "We offered Iran 'permanent free nuclear fuel,' but Iran did not accept it. So we concluded that Iran was trying to buy time rather than negotiate in good faith."
Iran's counterattacks continue. According to the Times of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) detected Iranian missile launches, and sirens are expected to sound across central Israel.