Exclusive | Trump resolved to carry out Iran bitch slap for as long as it takes

ANKARA, Turkey — The US is prepared for resumed attacks on Iran to last days or even weeks should Tehran continue its strikes in the Strait of Hormuz and beyond, as President Trump is resolved not to let the “sick” regime go unchecked.Trump’s restarted military campaign is being described internally by some administration officials as a “bitch slap” to the Islamic Republic — after Trump in May called airstrikes a “love tap” when Tehran previously attacked ships in the key waterway. How long the bombing campaign lasts is based heavily on Iran’s response, sources told The Post.On his way back from the NATO summit in Turkey late Wednesday, Trump said he didn’t know if it would become full-scale war, but added, “we’d win it very quickly.”The framing of the attacks as a “bitch slap” conveys the internal estimation by some administration officials that the onslaught will be painful but brief barring further escalation from Tehran.“He still wants this thing to be over.

But if Iran is shooting at ships, he’s not just gonna sit there and do nothing,” a source close to the White House told The Post.A former White House official said that “Trump is not coordinating with anyone… he’s going with his gut.”Trump threatened to rain down hell on the “scum” and “liars” in Iran Wednesday and referred to the regime leaders as “loco” and “sick.” He said the war’s three-month cease-fire and the more recent memorandum of understanding are “over,” and threatened infrastructure attacks, a renewed blockade, and seizing Kharg Island.Some senior officials were surprised by his fiery rhetoric, but “they are not frustrated because they agree with his new hard line,” the former White House official said.“This is all Trump, exactly as he likes it.

[It is] almost impossible to tell what his next move is until he makes the decision himself.”Meanwhile, the latest military action has been dubbed “Operation Bitch Slap” b...