After U.S.-led airstrikes rocked Iran and toppled senior regime figures, retired Gen. Jack Keane said Saturday that the conflict could be widening as key Gulf states prepare to act.
"This backfired on the Iranians," Keane told "Fox & Friends Weekend."
"They thought that this would create an international uproar," Keane said. "The war is being expanded. It's now a regional war and, as such, pressure [is] being put on the United States and Israelis to bring this to a halt."
The Saturday morning strikes, described as a coordinated operation between the Israel Defense Forces and U.S. Central Command, targeted senior Iranian leaders and Iran's ballistic missile and drone infrastructure, according to military officials.
KEY MILITARY SITES TARGETED INSIDE IRAN AS PART OF COORDINATED US-ISRAELI STRIKES
The rare daytime assault eliminated a swath of the Islamic regime's leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Keane said some Gulf nations that once publicly criticized the strikes are now shifting posture.
"The Gulf states are responding. They're adequately defending themselves [with technology supplied by the U.S.]… they're frustrated with the Iranians," he said.
IRAN'S TERROR PROXIES FROM IRAQ-TO-LEBANON SAY READY TO RESPOND TO US-ISRAEL ATTACKS
"Publicly, they were supporting the Iranians and resisting the strike. Privately, they were supporting the U.S. and the IDF. I think we should knock that nonsense off once and for all. You're with us publicly and privately."
Keane told Fox News' Griff Jenkins that three Gulf states are preparing for combat, but declined to identify them.
"One has already started, and two others are about to get going," he elaborated.
"I'm not going to talk about who they are, but that is being coordinated with Adm. Cooper and Central Command. These will be coordinated, selected targets, and they will contribute to the offensive nature of what's taking place - the IDF, Central Command and the Gulf states."
Keane said the next 48 hours will focus on neutralizing Iran's remaining retaliatory capabilities - including ballistic missiles and drone stockpiles - to prevent further attacks on U.S. troops, Israeli civilians and American allies in the Gulf.
"If you decapitate leadership, if you destroy command and control, if you conduct significant cyberattacks on the command and control capability, that is a major disruption in terms of its effects," he said.
He added that air superiority has already been achieved, allowing U.S. and allied forces to "go where we want to go" inside Iranian territory.
