Donald Trump's response on Iran explained: President says US did not expect scale of retaliation after strikes

Donald Trump has said that the United States did not expect the scale of Iran’s retaliation following the military campaign carried out jointly by the US and Israel. His remarks come as the conflict continues into its third week, with ongoing strikes across the Gulf region.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said the response from Iran went beyond what Washington had anticipated, particularly because of the number of countries affected. The conflict, which began on February 28, has since expanded in scope as Iran continues to target US positions and locations across West Asia.

Trump acknowledged that the US was not prepared for the breadth of Iran’s response after the strikes. According to him, the expectation was that Iran would limit its retaliation to immediate targets rather than expanding its actions across multiple countries.

He said Iran’s strikes extended to several Gulf nations, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.

“They weren't supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East. Those missiles were sent to go after them. They hit Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait,” Trump said. “Nobody expected that. We were shocked. You know, they fought back,” he added.

He described the scale and spread of the retaliation as surprising, noting that the attacks were not confined to a limited set of targets.

Despite acknowledging the unexpected nature of Iran’s response, Trump defended the US decision to carry out the strikes. He said the action had helped limit Iran’s military capabilities and reduce the level of threat it poses to Gulf nations.

Trump also stated that even if the US had anticipated the scale of retaliation, it would not have changed the decision to proceed with the military campaign.

The strikes that triggered the escalation were launched on February 28, when the US and Israel conducted coordinated attacks on Iran. Since then, the situation has developed into a broader regional conflict.

The conflict has now entered its third week, with continued exchanges between the sides. In response to the initial strikes, Iran has carried out attacks targeting US military positions across the Gulf region.

This has widened the geographical scope of the conflict across West Asia, involving multiple locations and increasing the overall intensity of the situation.

Trump indicated that the conflict is not expected to end immediately but suggested that it could conclude “soon.” His remarks reflect expectations of a near-term resolution, even as hostilities continue.

While Trump described the retaliation as unexpected, a report by Reuters cited US officials and sources familiar with intelligence assessments who said that such a response had been considered a possible outcome.

According to the report, Iran’s retaliation was among the scenarios that had been discussed in advance. Although it was not viewed as certain, officials said Trump had been warned about the possibility before the strikes were carried out.

This suggests a difference between the public characterisation of the response and internal assessments made prior to the military action.

Overall, Trump’s remarks highlight both the scale of Iran’s retaliation and the ongoing pressure surrounding the conflict, even as questions remain about expectations and preparedness within the US administration.