Hardest hits on Iran are still to come, Marco Rubio

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US military would step up its attacks against Iran, a stark warning after two days of strikes across the country that the Trump administration says took out its leadership and targeted its ballistic-missile program.

“I’m not going to give away the details of our tactical efforts, but the hardest hits are yet to come from the US military,” Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill. “The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now.”

The U.S. Secretary of State, while speaking to the media, claimed that regime change in Iran is not the formal objective of the current U.S. military operation.

He clarified that America’s full focus is on destroying Iran’s missile program, its production capabilities, and naval strength. The goal is to ensure that Iran does not possess nuclear weapons under any circumstances.

Rubio stated that if the Iranian people themselves overthrow the current government, the U.S. would welcome it; however, this is not included in the objectives of the current operation.

Marco Rubio added that the toughest attacks on Iran are yet to come, but there are no preparations for ground forces to enter Iran.

Responding to Rubio’s statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on March 3 that the US Secretary of State’s comments showed that the US “entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel.”

The United States and Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Iran on February 28, targeting what officials described as missile sites and military infrastructure. The strikes marked one of the most direct confrontations between Washington and Tehran in years and immediately triggered a regional escalation.

Iran responded by firing missiles at US bases in several Persian Gulf states, widening the conflict beyond Israeli-Iranian hostilities and raising fears of a broader regional war. US military officials said American air defenses intercepted many incoming projectiles, though some bases reported damage and casualties.

President Donald Trump signaled that further action could follow. In remarks to US media, Trump warned that a “big wave” of attacks was still ahead, suggesting that the weekend strikes were only the beginning of a sustained campaign aimed at degrading Iran’s military capabilities.