President Donald Trump told CNN that the US has "not even started" to hit Iran hard, warning of a looming "big wave" of attacks following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Meanwhile, Iran's IRGC has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation.
Trump Promises "Big Wave" Against Iran
Hebrew-language media channels broadly circulated aggressive statements made by President Donald Trump to CNN regarding an ongoing military operation against Iran. עמית סגל, a channel known for its pro-Israel and pro-Trump editorial stance, highlighted Trump's core warning: "We haven't even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn't happened yet - it will come soon." This exact quote dominated the Israeli news cycle, heavily featured by mainstream alerts like ynet חדשות and prominent independent channels such as חדשות מהשטח בטלגרם.
The Decimation of Iranian Leadership
The framing across Israeli channels was overwhelmingly triumphant, emphasizing absolute American military dominance.
עמיחי שטיין | הערוץ המדיני extensively detailed Trump's claims that Iran's air defense, air force, navy, and leadership have effectively disappeared. Stein highlighted Trump's confirmation that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
was assassinated while having breakfast with his inner circle. Trump reportedly noted the Iranians were "arrogant" for gathering in one place, adding that the Iranian regime now wants to talk, but he told them it is
"Too late!" According to
ברק בטש - Barak Betesh, Trump also confirmed that
"most of the people we thought would replace Khamenei - were killed."
Ambiguity on Ground Operations
Regarding a potential ground invasion, Israeli coverage noted Trump's strategic ambiguity. Stein quoted Trump breaking from traditional US policy constraints:
"Any other president would say - there will be no ground troops in Iran. I am not saying that." At the same time, Trump signaled support for internal rebellion by sharing an article asserting that
"there is no need for an American invasion force. The Iranian people are the boots on the ground."
Diverging Narratives: The Iranian Retaliation
While the Israeli media ecosystem framed the US operation as a successful, systematic dismantling of a hostile regime, the Iranian narrative emerged strictly through reported military threats. According to Stein, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced severe asymmetric retaliation, declaring:
"The Strait of Hormuz is closed. We will attack any ship that passes and set it on fire." Here, the narrative diverges sharply: what Hebrew sources present as a localized and precise decapitation of leadership, the Iranian messaging frames as a catalyst for sweeping regional economic and maritime disruption.
Public Sentiment
Within the Hebrew discussion groups, the mood was highly celebratory. Commenters in
חדשות ישראל - צאט תגובות praised the American president, calling him a "King!" and stating the strikes were "about time." In the 301 העולם הערבי - דיונים group, users affectionately praised his unpredictability. A rare note of skepticism appeared in
סניה ולדברג, where a user
questioned the grand promises, commenting: "I don't know what he's planning, if it's not a bluff."