Trump Says Iran War Is Nearly Over, Claims Few Strategic Targets Remain
- Donald Trump said there was little left for U.S. forces to target in Iran, claiming the conflict would end when he decided
- The president said U.S. forces had damaged Iranian military capacity and destroyed mine-laying boats near the Strait of Hormuz to protect global oil shipments
- Senior U.S. officials issued mixed signals, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying the campaign against Iran was only beginning
President Donald Trump has claimed that there is little left for United States forces to strike in Iran, declaring that the conflict involving Washington, Israel and Tehran will end whenever he decides.
Speaking briefly to Axios on Wednesday, Trump said the bombing campaign was nearing its objectives and progressing faster than expected, BBC reported.
Source: Getty Images
“The war is going great,” he said.
“We are way ahead of the timetable. We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period.”
Trump claims war nearing conclusion
The president argued that Iran posed a broader threat beyond Israel, describing the current military action as a response to decades of regional violence.
“They were after the rest of the Middle East.
They are paying for 47 years of death and destruction they caused. This is payback. They will not get off that easy,” Trump said.
He also asserted that the authority to end the conflict rested entirely with him.
“Any time I want it to end, it will end,” the president added.
Source: Getty Images
Trump’s remarks came as fighting continued around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor through which about one fifth of global oil supply passes. Disruptions in the area have pushed energy prices higher worldwide.
According to Trump, U.S. forces destroyed at least 16 Iranian mine laying boats in the strait. He said the operations were aimed at securing shipping lanes so oil tankers could resume safe passage and reduce pressure on global markets.
Mixed signals from US officials
The president’s comments contrasted with statements from other senior officials. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier this week that American military action was only beginning.
At a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday, Hegseth said the United States was “crushing the enemy,” adding that Iran was “desperate and scrambling.”
At the same briefing, Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces had struck more than 5,000 targets inside Iran and sunk over 50 Iranian vessels since the campaign began.
The conflict, which has spread beyond Iran, has also drawn in Hezbollah in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have hit targets in Beirut. Tehran has retaliated against U.S. and Israeli bases across the Gulf following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during early strikes.
Two killed after projectile strikes Saudi Arabia
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a military projectile struck a residential compound used by a maintenance and cleaning company in Al-Kharj, Saudi authorities confirmed on Sunday. Two people were killed and 12 others sustained injuries in the incident.
According to Saudi Gazette, Saudi Civil Defense said the projectile hit the residential site and caused damage to the facility. Emergency response teams arrived shortly after the incident and carried out standard rescue and safety procedures.
Source: Legit.ng
