'Will End Any Time I Want It': Donald Trump's Big Claim On War In Iran, Claims 'Practically Nothing Left' To Target

New Delhi: In a major claim amid the escalating Middle East war, US President Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday (March 11) that the United States has exhausted nearly all potential targets in Iran. 

He suggested an imminent conclusion to the conflict amid global anxieties mounting over surging energy prices and shipping blockages in the Strait of Hormuz.

 In a five-minute phone interview with Axios, Trump said that the Iran war will end “soon" as there is “practically nothing left to target" in the country. “Little this and that… Any time I want it to end, it will end," he added.

Continued military action

Despite President Trump’s claims that US military goals in Iran have been largely reached, regional hostilities show no signs of slowing down. 

Earlier today, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz affirmed that the joint offensive with the United States will persist indefinitely, emphasizing that strikes will proceed for "as long as necessary" to achieve their final objectives.

Katz stated that strikes in Tehran and across the country would continue "day after day, target after target". He added that the attacks would continue to allow Iranians to rise up, act and remove the Khamenei-led regime. 

"Ultimately, that is something that depends on them," Katz said.

Contradictory updates 

President Trump has provided contradictory updates regarding the timeline for the conflict. 

While he has reassured the public that the war is a "short-term excursion" nearing its end, he simultaneously asserted that the U.S. has "not won enough" to declare victory. Furthermore, he issued a severe warning to Tehran, vowing to retaliate "twenty times harder" should there be any attempts to block critical energy corridors.

"This operation will continue without any time limit, as long as necessary, until we achieve all the objectives and decide the outcome of the campaign," he was quoted as saying by news agency.

Further warning to Iran

The US President further warned Iran not to "try anything cute". "They've shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute or it's going to be the end of that country…If they do anything bad, that would be the end of Iran and you'd never hear the name again," Trump was quoted as saying.

Conflicting Claims & Operation Epic Fury

The White House has characterized Operation Epic Fury as a categorical success, asserting that military actions will persist until Iran surrenders and President Trump’s strategic goals are fully realized.

While officials maintain that the campaign will eventually drive down energy costs, the immediate regional situation has grown increasingly volatile.

Recent reports confirm that a Thai bulk carrier, the Mayuree Naree, was set ablaze by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, and a container ship sustained damage off the coast of the UAE. 

In a further blow to global energy stability, Qatar has suspended its natural gas production following strikes on its facilities, while Bahrain’s state oil company has declared force majeure, officially acknowledging that it can no longer fulfill its international supply contracts due to the conflict.