Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump revealed on Tuesday that he believes Iran is preparing to launch a first strike, marking the latest clarification on the possibility of an invasion of Iran amid ongoing confusion regarding the reasons for the conflict.

According to Thai News Agency, President Trump addressed reporters in the Oval Office at the White House during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He asserted that Iran was on the verge of initiating an attack and emphasized the need for the U.S. to act preemptively to avoid being struck first. However, this statement regarding the origins of the war contrasts with earlier information provided by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. On Monday, Rubio explained to reporters that the U.S. initiated the attack in anticipation of Iran's retaliation against Israel's planned operations targeting Iran.

Mr. Rubio clarified that the U.S. government was aware in advance of Israel's military plans against Iran and believed it would provoke subsequent attacks on U.S. forces. He noted that by preemptively targeting Iranian sites, the U.S. aimed to mitigate potential casualties.

Since the operation began last weekend, the objectives and timeline for the conflict with Iran have been in flux. Initially, President Trump suggested to the Daily Mail that the campaign could last about four weeks or less. Later, he told the New York Times it might extend to four to five weeks. In press conferences on Sunday and Monday, he left open the possibility of a prolonged operation until the intended goals are met. Notably, Mr. Trump did not address the issue of regime change, focusing instead on preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran denies, and curbing Iran's missile program.

The U.S. leader highlighted the threat posed by Iran's possession of long-range missiles and potential nuclear weapons, calling it unacceptable for both the Middle East and the American people.

Defense Secretary Pete Hexeth elaborated that the U.S. military operation focuses on dismantling Iran's precision strike capabilities rather than pursuing regime change, although he acknowledged that Iranian leadership would face substantial damage. He underscored that this is not a war to overthrow the government but a strategic effort to induce regime change, positing that such change would improve global stability.