Trump Warned of Possible Iranian Retaliation Before Strikes, Sources Say

Donald Trump was warned ahead of military action against Iran that Tehran could retaliate against US allies in the Gulf, despite his public statements describing the response as unexpected, according to a US official and sources familiar with intelligence assessments.

The sources said pre-war intelligence did not present retaliation as certain, but identified it as a likely scenario among possible outcomes. The warnings included the risk that Iran could target countries seen as supporting or hosting US operations in the region.

Trump said twice on Monday that Iran’s strikes on regional countries came as a surprise. Speaking at a meeting at the White House, he said Tehran was not expected to attack multiple countries across the Middle East. The targets included Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.

However, officials familiar with intelligence briefings said the possibility of such retaliation had been discussed before the United States joined Israel in launching air strikes on Iran on February 28. Another concern highlighted in briefings was the potential disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.

Since the conflict began, Iranian missiles and drones have struck a range of targets in Gulf countries, including US military installations, bases hosting foreign troops and civilian infrastructure such as airports, hotels and energy facilities. Iran has also halted most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes, contributing to a sharp rise in global energy prices.

The intelligence community had also assessed that Israeli plans to target senior Iranian leadership figures could trigger a broader regional response, including attacks on US military and diplomatic sites. Despite these warnings, some precautionary measures, such as reducing embassy staff in parts of the region, were not taken until after the strikes had begun, according to sources.

Trump continued to maintain that the scale of Iran’s response had not been anticipated. Speaking again at the White House, he said no experts had predicted that Tehran would strike multiple countries in the region.

Lawmakers briefed on the conflict have raised questions about the justification for the military action. Some Democratic members of Congress said they were not presented with evidence of an imminent threat that required immediate intervention.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on the matter.