Washington: US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States is approaching the completion of its military objectives in Iran and is contemplating scaling back operations in the Middle East.
According to Anadolu Agency, Trump outlined five key goals on his social media platform Truth Social, which he claims are nearing achievement. These objectives include degrading Iran's missile capabilities, dismantling its defense industrial base, eliminating its naval and air forces, preventing Iran from nearing nuclear capability, and safeguarding US allies in the region such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Kuwait.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that the Trump administration had initially anticipated the operation to last between four to six weeks. With the campaign now entering its third week, she hinted at a possible conclusion within a week, praising US forces for doing "an exceptional job" on the social media platform X. Leavitt also mentioned that Iran is being weakened progressively, and Trump remains committed to achieving "total and complete victory."
Despite these public declarations, a US official informed Axios that Trump's statements do not indicate an immediate cessation of military actions. "He just said we are getting close," the official remarked, suggesting that military strikes may persist for "a couple of weeks."
Trump also commented that the responsibility of guarding and policing the Strait of Hormuz should fall on the nations that depend on it for oil, rather than the US. He expressed willingness to assist if requested, but implied that this might not be necessary "once Iran's threat is eradicated," indicating that other countries could manage the operation with ease.
The US continues to bolster its military presence in the area, deploying additional ships and Marines to the Middle East, a move that contradicts any notion of an imminent end to the military campaign. The US-Israeli strikes on Iran commenced on February 28 and have reportedly resulted in the deaths of 1,300 individuals, including the then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.