President Trump meeting with aides regarding Iran attack [AFP Yonhap News]

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on the 2nd (local time) that he would not rule out the possibility of deploying ground troops to Iran. He also hinted at the possibility of further large-scale attacks against Iran.

In an interview with the U.S. daily New York Post on the same day, President Trump said, regarding the possibility of sending ground troops, "Other presidents have said 'there will be no ground troops,' but I have no 'yips' about ground troops," adding, "I say, 'Perhaps it won't be necessary,' (or) 'If it is necessary, (we can send them).'"

This is interpreted as him expressing the principle that he could send ground troops to Iran if necessary.

In this regard, U.S. Secretary of Defense (War Department) Pete Hegses said at a press briefing on the same day that when asked if U.S. ground troops were currently deployed in Iran, he replied, "No. But we will not debate what we will do and will not do moving forward," and added, "President Trump has made it clear to our enemies that we will go as far as is necessary to advance the interests of the United States."

Furthermore, President Trump explained the background behind the decision to attack Iran, saying, "They were trying to build a nuclear weapon, and we destroyed it completely. Then we discovered that they were working to build a nuclear weapon through enrichment in a completely different place, a completely different location."

President Trump also mentioned that the Iranian leadership was removed faster than expected and that the attack would end "quite quickly."

In addition, in an interview with CNN, President Trump hinted at the possibility of further large-scale attacks, stating, "We haven't even started to attack them strongly yet," and "The big waves haven't even happened yet" in a war with Iran.

He added, "Something bigger is coming soon."

Following the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, President Trump said, "I don't know who the leadership is. I don't know who they will choose either."