US President Donald Trump stated in a CNN interview that while the US military is currently engaged in actions against Iran, the "big wave" of strikes is yet to come, indicating a significant escalation is planned. Trump expressed surprise at Iran's widespread retaliation, particularly against Arab nations like Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, which he claims were not expected to be heavily involved. He suggested the conflict could be shorter than anticipated, aiming for around four weeks, and assured that the US is doing more than just military operations to assist the Iranian people. The president also highlighted Iran's ballistic missile program and the long-standing nuclear threat as key regional issues.