President Donald Trump said U.S. forces have dismantled major elements of Iran’s military capabilities and that the conflict is progressing far faster than originally expected.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States’ military operation against Iran has progressed far ahead of schedule and is nearing completion, offering one of the clearest indications yet that the conflict could soon wind down.
In remarks captured in a televised exchange where Trump said the campaign had largely accomplished its objectives, the president told CBS senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang that U.S. forces had significantly degraded Iran’s military capabilities.
“I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” Trump said. “They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force.”
Video of the exchange was also broadcast in a live stream available here.
According to Jiang, the president said the pace of the operation has far exceeded the timeline initially projected when the conflict began.
“In a phone interview, President Trump told me the war could be over soon: ‘I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force.’ He added that the U.S. is ‘very far’ ahead of his initial 4–5 week estimated time frame,” Jiang wrote in a post shared here.
Trump also addressed the leadership transition in Tehran following the death of Iran’s longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during the early phase of the conflict. Iran’s ruling authorities recently elevated Mojtaba Khamenei to the position.
Asked whether he had a message for the new leader, Trump dismissed the suggestion.
“I have no message for him. None, whatsoever,” the president said, according to Jiang in another report posted here.
The president also warned Iranian leadership against any further military action, suggesting the country’s armed forces have already exhausted their remaining capabilities.
“They’ve shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute, or it’s going to be the end of that country,” Trump said.
Trump also discussed the strategic situation around the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf with global shipping lanes and carrying roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
Ships are continuing to move through the corridor, but Trump indicated the United States could consider additional measures to secure the route.
“As for the Straight of Hormuz, Trump noted that ships are moving through now, but he is ‘thinking about taking it over,’” Jiang wrote in another update posted here.
Financial markets reacted sharply to developments surrounding the conflict. Oil prices, which had surged earlier as fighting intensified, later dropped significantly as investors interpreted Trump’s remarks as a signal that the war could soon conclude.
Market data circulating online reported the decline, noting: “BREAKING: Oil prices collapse below $84/barrel, now down over -30% since last night’s highs,” according to a post shared here.
Video commentary circulating on social media also highlighted Trump’s description of the campaign’s progress, repeating his statement that U.S. forces were “very far” ahead of the original timeline and that Iran’s military capabilities had been largely dismantled. One widely shared clip of those remarks was posted here.
Despite the rapid progress described by the president, Trump said the final decision on ending the operation would involve coordination with Israel, Washington’s closest regional partner in the conflict.
According to reporting from The Times of Israel, Trump said he plans to confer with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before determining the official conclusion of the campaign.
“I think it’s mutual… a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account,” Trump said.
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