White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump had demonstrated through military strikes on Iran that he stands by his warnings.
Speaking at a press briefing at the White House, Leavitt said Trump does not make empty threats and that recent action against Iranian targets shows he is prepared to enforce what the administration describes as its “red lines.” She argued that Iran miscalculated by assuming Trump would not follow through, calling it a serious mistake.
Operation described as successful
Leavitt characterized the ongoing US military campaign, known as Operation Epic Fury, as highly successful so far. She credited American forces for carrying out the strikes and outlined four primary goals of the operation:
Eliminate Iran’s ballistic missile program
Destroy its naval capabilities in the region
Break up Iranian-backed militant groups
Stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons
She said these objectives had been clearly defined by Trump when announcing the campaign.
Claims Iran rejected diplomacy
Leavitt stated that Iran had turned down diplomatic efforts before the conflict escalated. She accused Iranian leaders of prioritizing nuclear weapons development over peace, claiming their intentions posed a threat to the US and its allies.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has denied that the country is pursuing nuclear weapons, maintaining that weapons of mass destruction are prohibited under Islamic principles.
Airspace control and troop deployment
Leavitt said the US expects to gain full control of Iranian airspace soon to allow continued military operations. At the same time, she clarified that deploying American ground troops inside Iran is not currently part of the plan, though she did not rule out future military options.
Leadership speculation and fallen troops
Addressing reports that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran’s supreme leader, could eventually succeed his father, Leavitt said US intelligence agencies are monitoring the situation but declined to speculate.
She also confirmed that Trump plans to attend a dignified transfer ceremony for US service members killed in Iran’s retaliatory strike on a facility at Kuwait’s Shuaiba port. Six American troops died in the attack, and the Pentagon has publicly identified four of them.
