In an address to the nation from the White House on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said the United States is “very close” to achieving its objectives in the war with Iran.
“We are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly, very shortly,” he said.
Trump said U.S. and Israeli strikes destroyed Iran’s navy and air force, and “dramatically curtailed” the regime’s ability to “launch missiles and drones.”
“Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating, large scale losses,” Trump said, as he recounted attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, air defenses and political and military leadership.
A month ago, Trump announced that the United States and Israel had launched strikes against Iran to stop the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to destroy the regime’s missile stockpiles and production capabilities.
In his speech on Wednesday, Trump said he has long promised to block Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“From the very first day I announced my campaign for President in 2015, I have vowed that I would never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” he said. “This fanatical regime has been chanting ‘Death to America, ‘Death to Israel,’ for 47 years. Their proxies were behind the murder of 241 Americans in the Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut, the slaughter of hundreds of our service members with roadside bombs, they were involved in the attack on the U.S.S. Cole, and they’ve carried out countless other heinous acts … For these terrorists to have nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat.”
Trump acknowledged rising gas prices, saying the “short-term increase has been entirely the result of the Iranian regime launching deranged terror attacks against commercial oil tankers and neighboring countries that have nothing to do with the conflict. This is yet more proof that Iran can never be trusted with nuclear weapons.”
He said countries worried about being able to get the fuel they need should buy oil from the U.S., and should help defend the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. will likely not hit Iran’s oil facilities, Trump said, adding that if there is no deal amid continued negotiations the U.S. would “hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard and properly simultaneously.”
In addition to wiping out Iran’s weaponry, ahead of the war, Trump said that dismantling the leadership of the Iranian regime was a priority. Top leaders, including former ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were killed in initial strikes, while other leaders have been either killed or injured in later attacks.
Iran retaliated against the attacks by launching strikes that hit Israel and other Gulf states. Several U.S. service members have been killed and hundreds injured amid the conflict.
Trump insists the U.S. is achieving its aims in the Middle East, however, administration officials have declined to give an exact deadline for ending the operation. Initial estimates were 4-6 weeks, and as of Saturday, the conflict entered its 5th week.
The president’s remarks to the nation Wednesday evening were among the most official he has given about the conflict since the start of the war.
The president spoke for almost 20 minutes, sharing little new information, but making the case that the U.S. was winning the war, even as support for the president and the conflict has declined recently.
During his remarks, Trump said U.S. troops were an “unstoppable” military force, while also noting that his first course of action was “always the path of diplomacy.”
War origins and conflict spreading
After the initial attacks by the U.S. and Israel, Iran launched drone and missile attacks at several Gulf states, hitting sites in Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Even as Trump has maintained support from leaders in the region, key European allies do not support the conflict.
Trump faced pushback from United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer about using joint bases to launch attacks on Iran. France and Germany also declined to show support as Trump has demanded help from NATO allies to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for the global oil trade.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will visit the White House next week amid the squabbling.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has provided key military equipment to the U.S. and Israel while also sending experts, especially to help with defense against drones. He’s likely looking to earn favor with Trump and other world leaders as his war with Russia is more than a month past its 4-year mark.