Trump claims Iran conflict close to ending, cautions heavy strikes will continue for weeks

Donald Trump said Wednesday that the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran was nearing completion, but warned that the country would face intense strikes over the next two to three weeks as Washington pushes to achieve its military goals.

In his first national address since the conflict began on February 28, Trump sought to reassure a war-weary American public that the offensive had been worthwhile.

“Given the progress we’ve made, I can say tonight that we are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives very soon,” he said from the White House.

He added that the war’s “core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” while cautioning that “we are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks.”

Trump also reassured regional allies—Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain—that the United States would ensure their security following Iranian drone and missile attacks.

He signaled potential openness to negotiations with Iran’s new leadership, describing it as “less radical and more reasonable” than before, suggesting a possible deal to end the conflict. However, he warned that if diplomacy fails, Washington is prepared to target critical infrastructure, including Iran’s power generation facilities.

The speech failed to calm global energy markets, with oil prices rising on Thursday after Trump urged other countries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a key route for global oil shipments. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through the narrow passage, and its disruption has driven up energy prices and unsettled the global economy. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards vowed to keep the waterway closed to what they called the country’s “enemies.”

Iran dismissed Washington’s ceasefire signals on Thursday, calling US demands “maximalist and irrational.” Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said messages had been exchanged through intermediaries, including Pakistan, but confirmed there were no direct negotiations with the US.

Earlier, Trump claimed Iran’s president had sought a ceasefire, but insisted Tehran must first reopen the Strait of Hormuz—something he said would happen “naturally” once the conflict ends.

The address comes amid declining approval ratings for Trump, economic uncertainty, and growing diplomatic fallout from the war, which began when the US and Israel launched a large-scale surprise airstrike campaign on Iran, killing supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Shortly before Trump’s speech, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian questioned whether the war truly served American interests, accusing Washington of war crimes and undue influence by Israel. In a message to the American public, he said ordinary citizens were not Iran’s enemy despite longstanding tensions.

Iran later launched a fresh wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US military bases in the Gulf, hitting cities such as Tel Aviv and Eilat, as well as facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. Israel said its air defence systems were intercepting incoming threats.

As the Passover holiday began, air raid sirens sounded repeatedly across the Tel Aviv region. Emergency services reported that an earlier Iranian missile strike wounded 14 people, including a child.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also said they had struck an oil tanker in the Gulf they claimed was linked to Israel. A British maritime security agency reported the vessel was hit off the coast of Qatar, causing damage but no casualties.

Explosions were reported across Tehran, including near the former US embassy, while Iranian media said strikes damaged infrastructure such as an airport in Isfahan province and steel facilities elsewhere.

Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since his father’s death, condemned the attacks, saying the “cruel and ruthless American and Zionist enemy knows no limits.”

Thousands gathered in Tehran for the funeral of a senior Revolutionary Guards naval commander killed in an Israeli strike, with mourners vowing to continue resisting.

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes near southern Beirut killed seven people, according to officials, while the Israeli military said it had targeted a senior Hezbollah commander. Lebanon’s health ministry reported that more than 1,300 people have been killed in the country since hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah escalated in early March.

Across the Gulf, continued strikes caused fires and damage, including at Kuwait’s international airport, a commercial facility in Bahrain, and areas in Saudi Arabia where drones were intercepted.