President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One after leaving the World Economic Forum in Davos for Washington, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Asked about a possible path to end the conflict, Trump said the situation depended on multiple factors but emphasized that developments were trending favorably.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the US military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury, was progressing faster than planned, while warning Tehran against launching further attacks and signaling openness to renewed negotiations.
In a phone interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen, Trump said the operation was “moving along very well — ahead of schedule.”
He described Iran as “a very violent regime, one of the most violent regimes in history,” and said the United States was acting “not just for us but for the world.” Trump added, “And everything is ahead of schedule.”
Asked about a possible path to end the conflict, Trump said the situation depended on multiple factors but emphasized that developments were trending favorably. “Things are evolving in a very positive way right now, a very positive way,” he told Kernen.
Trump told Fox News correspondent Jacqui Heinrich that he was closely tracking the scope of the operation and knew how many Iranian targets remained.
He said that “48 Iranian leaders were wiped out in one shot,” adding that Operation Epic Fury was moving along “rapidly.”
Earlier in the day, Trump issued a warning to Iran over potential retaliation, saying Washington would respond forcefully if Tehran followed through on threats of a major strike. “Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, warning that any such move would be met with “a force that has never been seen before.”
Speaking separately to MS NOW, Trump said he had seen celebrations in the United States by members of the Iranian diaspora following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Referring to scenes in Los Angeles, he said, “I think it’s fantastic.”
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