Trump revealed his off ramps from Operation Epic Fury, and one of them ends the whole thing in just two or three days

President Trump has revealed he has several “off ramps” for Operation Epic Fury, the massive U.S. military campaign against Iran that began early Saturday morning. One of these options could wrap up the entire operation in just two or three days.

Speaking from Mar-a-Lago in a phone interview on Saturday, Trump laid out his potential strategies. He said he could “go long and take over the whole thing,” or he could choose to “end it in two or three days” with a message to Iran: “See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding [your nuclear and missile programs].” He also predicted that Iran would take “several years to recover from this attack” regardless of which path is chosen.

It also suggests he is still open to a diplomatic solution, even though U.S.-Iran nuclear talks recently collapsed in Geneva. According to Axios, a quick operation followed by new ultimatums would be a very different outcome compared to the “regime change” goals that some U.S. and Israeli officials have discussed.

Trump’s reasoning for the strikes points to years of failed diplomacy and Iranian aggression

Trump cited two main reasons for launching the strikes. First, he pointed to the failure of negotiations led by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, saying, “the Iranians got close and then pulled back, close and then pulled back. I understood from that that they don’t really want a deal.” The strikes were launched without congressional approval, and both parties are now demanding Trump answer for it.

Second, he pointed to Iran’s conduct over the past several decades, asking his team to compile every Iranian-linked attack from the past 25 years. He said, “I saw that every month they did something bad, blew something up or killed someone.”

Trump also claimed that Iran had begun rebuilding some of the nuclear facilities struck during last June’s 12-Day War. Independent analysts noted building activity at some nuclear sites but had not concluded that Iran had actually resumed nuclear activity. Trump argued that his earlier “Operation Midnight Hammer,” which destroyed or significantly damaged three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, was crucial for the current operation to be possible.

Operation Epic Fury represents the most significant joint U.S. and Israeli military effort in a generation, designed not just to degrade Iran’s military capabilities but also to create conditions that could lead to the downfall of the current regime.

According to a senior U.S. official, the plan initially envisions a bombing campaign lasting at least five days. The operation comes at a time of wider political tension, as Democrats are pushing to refund households over illegal tariff costs they say were forced on Americans.

However, that timeline could change based on developments on the ground. A key factor is the fate of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, whom Israel specifically targeted for assassination. Netanyahu stated on Saturday afternoon that “signs are growing” that Khamenei has been killed following an Israeli strike on his compound.

Trump confirmed he spoke with Netanyahu after the joint operation launched, saying, “I had a great conversation with Bibi, we’re on the same wavelength.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also confirmed that Trump spoke with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.