Trump Claims Iran War ‘Virtually Over’ as Attacks Escalate
The war between the United States and Israel against Iran is “virtually over,” U.S. President Donald Trump stated today in an interview with CBS News, citing the military weakening of Iran by the U.S. And Israeli forces.
Trump did not elaborate on whether or when the United States and Israel might cease their aerial attacks on the Islamic Republic. His comments come as the conflict enters its second month, following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes beginning on that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior Iranian officials.
“They don’t have a navy, they don’t have communications, they don’t have air forces,” Trump said, claiming that nearly all of Iran’s missiles have been destroyed and Iranian drones are being shot down “everywhere.”
“When you look at it, they’re left with nothing,” the U.S. President emphasized. “Militarily, they’re left with nothing.” He asserted that the U.S. Is “very far” ahead of its original timeline of four to five weeks for the operation.
Iran Vows Increased Missile Strikes
However, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced its intention to increase the firepower and frequency of its rocket launches, and to extend their range, according to state television citing IRGC Air and Space Force commander Majid Mussawi.
The IRGC will no longer launch rockets with warheads weighing less than one ton, Mussawi stated.
Hezbollah Attacks Military Base Near Tel Aviv
Meanwhile, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia reported launching rockets at an Israeli military base near Tel Aviv. They claimed to have targeted the Israel Defense Forces’ Home Front Command headquarters in Ramla with a “volley of advanced rockets.”
This attack, according to Hezbollah, was in response to “the criminal Israeli aggression that has struck dozens of Lebanese cities and the southern suburbs of Beirut.” Israel had previously announced the killing of the commander of a Hezbollah unit operating in southern Lebanon.
The escalating conflict follows a period of heightened tensions, including a twelve-day war between Iran and Israel last June that derailed earlier U.S. Negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. The current strikes effectively collapsed those talks, and the Trump administration has openly called for regime change in Tehran.
The situation is further complicated by conflicting explanations from American and Israeli officials regarding the rationale for the attacks. While Trump has consistently maintained that the strikes were necessary and will continue until U.S. Objectives are met, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on that the strikes were partially triggered by U.S. Intelligence indicating Israel was planning an attack on Iran, and Iran would retaliate.
Trump, however, contradicted Rubio’s assessment, suggesting he may have even “forced Israel’s hand.” “We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first,” Trump said. “They were going to attack. If we didn’t do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that.”
The conflict has raised concerns about regional stability and the potential for wider escalation. The spiraling violence has endangered millions of lives across the Middle East and left tens of thousands of foreign citizens stranded and at risk. The economic impact is also being felt globally, with disruptions to energy supplies and aviation routes.
The Times of Israel reported on that Trump told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a decision on when to end the war would be “mutual.” Trump asserted that Iran would have destroyed Israel if he and Netanyahu had not been in power. “Iran was going to destroy Israel and everything else around it… We’ve worked together. We’ve destroyed a country that wanted to destroy Israel.”
While White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated on that Washington expects the war to last four to six weeks, Trump’s comments suggest a willingness to consider a quicker resolution, albeit one coordinated with Israel. The extent to which Israel would abide by a U.S. Decision to halt strikes remains unclear.
The conflict’s trajectory remains uncertain, with Iran’s pledge to escalate its missile attacks and Hezbollah’s continued involvement adding further layers of complexity to an already volatile situation. The potential for miscalculation and unintended consequences remains high, raising fears of a prolonged and devastating regional war.