U.S. forces have struck more than 11,000 targets in Iran in the past month.
WASHINGTON—U.S.
forces could conclude combat operations against Iran in as few as two weeks,
President Donald Trump said on March 31.
Asked during
a White House press conference if he has a plan to help bring down gas prices,
which have risen since the start of the conflict, Trump said, “All I have to do
is leave Iran, and we‘ll be doing that very soon, and they’ll come tumbling
down.”
The
president went on to say U.S. forces could conclude combat operations against
Iran in two or three weeks.
“I would say
that within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three,” he said.
As he spoke
during his White House press conference, Trump described a circumstance in
which U.S. forces would conclude the conflict without necessarily addressing
all Iranian threats on the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, he said it will be up to
other countries to defend their trade interests in the narrow waterway.
“That’s not
for us. That will be for France. That will be for whoever is using the strait,”
he said.
Trump did
predict threats in the Strait of Hormuz will have largely subsided by the time
U.S. combat operations conclude.
“Today, I
heard tremendous numbers of ships were sailing through,” the president added.
Since the
start of the military campaign—dubbed Operation Epic Fury—U.S. forces have
struck more than 11,000 targets.
At a
Pentagon press briefing on Tuesday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the
previous 24 hours had marked the lowest number of Iranian missile and attack
drone launches since the fighting began.
“The latest
intel is clear ... our strikes are damaging the morale of the Iranian military,
leading to widespread desertions, key personnel shortages, and causing
frustrations amongst senior leaders,” Hegseth said.
During the
press briefing, Hegseth avoided offering a specific timeline for completing the
various military objectives of the conflict.
“Four to six
weeks, six to eight weeks, three. It could be any particular number, but we
would never reveal precisely what it is because our goal is to finish those
objectives, and we’re well on our way,” Hegseth said.
The
secretary of war said it will be up to the president to make the final
determination on when to finalize a peace deal with Tehran.
Trump’s
Tuesday comments are not the first time he has signaled the Iran conflict is
nearing an end. He and other members of the administration have repeatedly
indicated U.S. forces are ahead of schedule in the operation, but additional
U.S. forces have begun to arrive in the region in recent days.
About two
weeks into the Iran conflict, the U.S. military dispatched an amphibious ready
group and an embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit, consisting of around 4,000 to
5,000 sailors and Marines, to the Middle East. A second amphibious ready group
has also departed from California and has been sailing west across the Pacific
in recent days.
The Pentagon
also dispatched elements of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne
Division to the Middle East, including the division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team.
Speaking
with reporters as he visited France last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio
said the United States can complete its military campaign against Iran without
needing ground troops. Still, Rubio said additional ground troops heading to
the region would provide Trump with a range of military options.
“We are
always going to be prepared to give the president maximum optionality,” Rubio
said.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/iran-operation-to-end-in-2-to-3-weeks-trump-says-6006364?&utm_source=MB_article_paid_c&utm_campaign=MB_article_2026-04-01-ca&utm_medium=email&est=2T1AyW1XBUA7SzgPkI7RC6k8s%2BA4a8Wgg5GMJXlq51SmPpyy%2FK5BcCjpwL4jnAMtpsQu&utm_content=more-top-news-1
(Via Truth Social) – “All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT. You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!” ~ President DJT
(FOR FRANCE) – “The Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory. France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the “Butcher of Iran,” who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!” ~ President DJT
