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The president of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Wednesday that the war against Iran could soon come to an end, claiming that the attacks launched by Washington and its allies have caused greater destruction than expected to the military capabilities of the Persian country.
In statements to the press, the president stated that U.S. forces destroyed “in a single night” a large portion of the Iranian vessels responsible for laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic location for global energy trade.
"we dismantled almost all of their mining ships in one night," said Trump, who even suggested that up to 60 Iranian vessels may have been eliminated during military operations. "Practically their entire Navy has vanished," he added, according to EFE.
For its part, the United States Central Command (Centcom) reported on Tuesday that its forces had destroyed "multiple Iranian warships" near the Strait of Hormuz, although the official number mentioned was 16 vessels.
In a brief interview with the U.S. digital media outlet Axios, Trump also stated that the conflict could end soon because "there's practically nothing left to attack" in Iran.
"When it wants to end, it will end," declared the president, who assured that the military offensive launched on February 28 by the United States and Israel is "going full steam ahead."
"We are significantly ahead of the scheduled timeline. We have caused more damage than we thought possible," he stated.
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz
The situation in the Strait of Hormuz —through which approximately 20% of the oil traded worldwide passes— has become one of the main points of tension in the conflict.
The maritime passage is crucial for the global supply of crude oil and gas, so any disruption in its operations has an immediate impact on international energy markets.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard threatened to attack any vessel crossing the strait, while several sources cited by CNN indicated that Tehran has deployed dozens of mines in the area and may increase their number.
The British Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) reported that at least three vessels were struck by projectiles on Wednesday near the strait or in the maritime route itself.
Additionally, the Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for an attack on the ship Express Rome, owned by Israel and flying the flag of Liberia.
In parallel, Iranian authorities asserted that they will not allow "even a liter of oil" to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to benefit the United States, Israel, or their allies.
Without a clear timeline for the conflict
The military operation launched by the United States and Israel, referred to by the Pentagon as ‘Epic Fury’, began on February 28 with a series of massive attacks against Iranian strategic targets.
According to Washington, on the first day of the bombings, the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several high-ranking military officials from the country, was killed.
Since then, Iran has responded with airstrikes against Israel and against countries in the region that host U.S. military bases.
The Trump administration claims that the aim of the offensive is to destroy Iran's missile program and its capabilities to manufacture a nuclear weapon, although no clear timeline has been presented regarding the duration of the conflict.
The war could also have internal political consequences in the United States. Trump campaigned in 2024 promising to avoid new wars abroad, and the conflict could influence the upcoming midterm elections scheduled for November.
So far, seven American military personnel have died in the operation, while the rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have contributed to driving up gasoline prices in the country.
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