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Donald Trump has said that the war with Iran may end “soon” because there is “practically nothing left” for the United States military to bomb.
In an interview with Axios on Wednesday, the US president suggested that he can make the decision to stop the fighting whenever he likes.
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“Any time I want it to end, it will end,” Trump was quoted as saying.
His statement coincided with comments from Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, suggesting that the timeline for ending the war is open-ended.
“The operation will continue without any time limit, as long as required, until we accomplish all objectives and achieve victory in the campaign,” Katz said, according to The Times of Israel.
In his remarks to Axios, Trump reiterated his view that the war is proceeding ahead of schedule.
“The war is going great. We are way ahead of the timetable. We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period,” Trump said.
The US president has repeatedly made pronouncements about the war ending soon, but Washington has not provided a clear timeline for concluding the military offensive.
It is also unclear whether Tehran would abide by a ceasefire announced solely by the US.
On Tuesday, the news outlet CNBC asked Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff how the war may end. He said, “I don’t know.”
Trump told The Times of Israel earlier this week that ending the war would be a “mutual” decision with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting that the US would not pull out of the operation unilaterally.
Hormuz warning
Officials in the Trump administration have been boasting about the war efforts, stressing daily that Iran is receiving heavy blows and that its military capabilities are receding.
The US and Israel have launched thousands of bombs against Iran, killing at least 1,300 people.
Still, Tehran has continued to fire drones and missiles against Israel, while also targeting US assets across the Middle East as well as energy and civilian sites in the Gulf region.
Despite Trump’s repeated threats, Iran has also managed to keep the Strait of Hormuz largely shut to commercial shipping, disrupting the flow of oil out of the region.
The disruption has sent oil prices soaring and spread economic uncertainty across the world.
Earlier this week, Trump warned Iran of “death, fire and fury” if it continues to block ships in Hormuz.
But on Wednesday, three vessels were attacked near the strait.
Past statements by Trump about opening Hormuz and ending the war have calmed economic markets and brought down oil prices, but only temporarily.
Trump previously suggested that the US Navy may accompany commercial ships through Hormuz, but the Iranian military said it would “welcome” the move, suggesting that it is prepared to attack US troops in the waterway.
On Tuesday, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright wrote on the social media platform X that the US Navy had escorted an oil ship through Hormuz, then quickly deleted the post. The White House later confirmed that the claim was not true.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later accused US officials of “posting fake news to manipulate markets”.
On Wednesday, the US military called on Iranian to stay away from ports near the strait.
“Iranian dockworkers, administrative personnel, and commercial vessel crews should avoid Iranian naval vessels and military equipment,” the US military’s Central Command, which focuses on the Middle East, said in a statement.
“Iranian naval forces have positioned military vessels and equipment within civilian ports serving commercial maritime traffic.”
War objectives
Trump initially said that his aim was to bring “freedom” to the Iranian people.
But as the ruling system in Iran showed no signs of collapsing, US officials have articulated other goals for the campaign: destroying Iran’s nuclear, missile and drone programmes as well as the country’s navy.
Trump’s aides have repeatedly said that the US president alone will decide when these objectives are met.
Last week, Iran’s Assembly of Experts chose Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
The decision was seen to proclaim Iran’s defiance of the US. Trump had opposed the younger Khamenei’s selection as leader, and he had repeatedly asserted that the US must have a role in shaping Iran’s government.
With the Iranian regime still intact, some critics have questioned what the US would do, should Tehran rebuild its military capabilities after the war.
After a classified briefing with administration officials on Tuesday, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said that the goal of the war appears to be “destroying lots of missiles and boats and drone factories”.
“But the question that stumped them: What happens when you stop bombing and they restart production?” Murphy wrote on X.
“They hinted at more bombing. Which is, of course, endless war.”
