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Trump hints at winding down military operations in Iran
US President Donald Trump suggested on Friday that American military efforts in Iran may soon conclude, claiming the nation is nearing its strategic goals. Speaking to reporters outside the White House before departing for Florida, Trump stated, "We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran."
However, he ruled out a ceasefire, asserting, "You don't do a ceasefire when you're literally obliterating the other side."
Strait of Hormuz security shifts to regional allies
Trump declared that the United States would no longer bear sole responsibility for securing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint. "It will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it-The United States does not!" he wrote on Truth Social.
Earlier in the day, he criticized NATO allies for refusing to assist in reopening the strait, calling them "COWARDS" in a separate post and vowing to "REMEMBER!" The president described the operation as "so easy for them to do, with so little risk."
Military escalation continues despite Trump's remarks
Despite Trump's comments, the Pentagon is preparing to deploy an additional 2,500 Marines and warships to the region, according to Reuters. Sources told CBS News that US officials are also drafting plans for potential ground operations in Iran, including protocols for detaining Iranian soldiers.
Retired Colonel Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, estimated that reinforcements would take between one week and 30 days to arrive. "So there's going to be reinforcements, but it's going to take a while for all of them to get there," he told the BBC.
Axios reported that the administration is considering occupying or blockading Kharg Island, home to Iran's largest oil terminal. A White House official confirmed to the BBC that "the United States Military can take out Kharg Island at any time." The island was bombed earlier this month.
Energy crisis deepens as oil prices surge
Global oil prices have surged by approximately 50% since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28. In response to the escalating energy crisis, the Trump administration announced on Friday that it would temporarily lift sanctions on Iran to release 140 million barrels of oil stranded on tankers since the conflict began.
The spike in fuel costs poses a political challenge for Trump's Republican Party ahead of November's congressional elections.
Iran's Supreme Leader claims victory amid ongoing attacks
In a defiant statement marking Nowruz, the Persian New Year, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei declared that the nation had delivered a "dizzying blow" to its enemies. "At the moment, due to the particular unity that has been created between you our compatriots... the enemy has been defeated," he wrote.
Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an Israeli strike on the war's first day, accused the US of issuing "contradictory words and nonsense."
Iran launched a fresh wave of drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and Israel on Friday, further escalating regional tensions.
