Washington/Florida, March 10 (ANI): US President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States military campaign against Iran is approaching its conclusion, claiming that the country’s military infrastructure and leadership have been largely dismantled during the early stages of the operation.
Speaking at a press conference in Florida, Trump said the military campaign—named Operation Epic Fury—would end “very soon,” though he did not provide a specific timeline.
“Very soon. Look, everything they have is gone, including their leadership,” Trump said when asked about the status of the operation. “In fact, their two levels of leadership—and actually as it turns out more than that—are gone. Most people have never even heard about the leaders that they’re talking about. So it’s obviously been very, very powerful, very effective.”
Trump claimed that Iran’s military capabilities were severely degraded in the opening phase of the conflict, saying the country’s naval, air, and defensive systems were destroyed within the first two days.
“They have no Navy, Air Force, anti-aircraft equipment. It’s all been blown up. They have no radar, telecommunications, leadership. It’s all gone,” the US President said. “The big risk in that war has been over for three days. We wiped them out in the first two days. When you think about it, it’s incredible.”
The President also reiterated that the United States intervened to prevent Iran from destabilizing the Middle East and threatening Israel.
“They were going to take over the Middle East and they were going to try and destroy Israel,” Trump said. “So we stopped it with good timing, and we’re very proud to be involved in this. It’s going to be ended soon, and if it starts up again they’ll be hit even harder.”
However, the scale of the military operation has raised concerns about US defense resources. According to a report by The Washington Post, the Pentagon expended approximately USD 5.6 billion worth of munitions during the first 48 hours of the campaign.
The estimate, presented to Congress, has triggered debate among lawmakers about whether the ongoing military operations could strain America’s stockpile of advanced weapons.
In response, Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said the US military remains fully capable of continuing operations.
“The department has everything it needs to execute any mission at the time and place of the President’s choosing and on any timeline,” Parnell said.
The report noted that US and Israeli forces are expected to rely increasingly on more readily available laser-guided bombs as operations move further inland.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high as Iran has responded with retaliatory strikes targeting American military installations in several Arab countries as well as Israeli assets across the region.
The conflict has also coincided with a major leadership change in Iran. Following the death of longtime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the ongoing conflict, the country’s Assembly of Experts appointed his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new Supreme Leader.
The 56-year-old cleric was formally designated to the position by the 88-member Assembly of Experts, which announced that he had been “appointed and introduced as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Trump expressed disappointment over the appointment, suggesting it would not change the direction of Iran’s policies.
“I was disappointed because we think it’s going to lead to just more of the same problem for the country,” Trump said. “I was disappointed to see their choice.”
At the same time, Trump issued a stern warning to Tehran regarding the strategic oil transit route through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world’s petroleum exports pass.
“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America twenty times harder than they have been hit thus far,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
He warned that the US military would target “easily destroyable” locations and suggested such strikes could be devastating.
“Death, Fire and Fury will reign upon them — but I hope, and pray, that it does not happen,” he said.
Trump framed the warning as an effort to protect global commerce, noting that many major economies—including China—depend heavily on oil shipments passing through the Strait.
“This is a gift from the United States of America to China and all of those nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated,” he said.
Despite Trump’s assertion that the war is “very complete” and “pretty much over,” Iranian officials have rejected the claim. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it would be Iran—not Washington—that ultimately determines when the conflict ends.
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