403
Sorry!!
Error! We're sorry, but the page you were looking for doesn't exist.
Trump Signals Weeks More of Iran War
(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday the war with Iran could persist for another two to three weeks, projecting confidence in an eventual American victory even as hostilities threatened to unravel a fragile ceasefire.
"Time is not of the essence for us," Trump said in a phone interview with a radio host, while declining to confirm whether the truce with Tehran had collapsed following reported Iranian fire toward the United Arab Emirates.
When pressed on whether Monday's exchange of fire signaled a return to open conflict, Trump was unequivocal. "One way or the other, we win," he said, before elaborating: "We either make the right deal, or we win very easily. From the military standpoint, we've already won that. You know, you've heard me say it a million times, and other people say it: They had 159 ships, Hugh. Now, they have none. They're all at the bottom of the sea."
Trump added that U.S. forces on Monday "took out" eight fast-moving, machine gun-equipped vessels before offering a characteristically open-ended sign-off: "We'll see what happens."
The president also claimed full U.S. "control" over the Strait of Hormuz, though he acknowledged the threat of asymmetric tactics that no naval force can fully neutralize.
"The one thing you can't stop is somebody's going to want to drop a little mine … and you happen to own a billion-dollar ship," he cautioned. "I'm not sure you're going to be thrilled about sailing it."
Trump also touched on internal Iranian dynamics, suggesting that ordinary Iranians "are getting some guns" to resist the government in Tehran, and predicting that "as soon as they have guns, they'll fight as well as anybody."
The remarks come against a backdrop of sharply rising regional tensions. The U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Tehran to retaliate against Israel and U.S. allies across the Gulf, while simultaneously disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation took hold on April 8, but subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to yield a durable agreement, leaving the extended truce on increasingly shaky ground.
"Time is not of the essence for us," Trump said in a phone interview with a radio host, while declining to confirm whether the truce with Tehran had collapsed following reported Iranian fire toward the United Arab Emirates.
When pressed on whether Monday's exchange of fire signaled a return to open conflict, Trump was unequivocal. "One way or the other, we win," he said, before elaborating: "We either make the right deal, or we win very easily. From the military standpoint, we've already won that. You know, you've heard me say it a million times, and other people say it: They had 159 ships, Hugh. Now, they have none. They're all at the bottom of the sea."
Trump added that U.S. forces on Monday "took out" eight fast-moving, machine gun-equipped vessels before offering a characteristically open-ended sign-off: "We'll see what happens."
The president also claimed full U.S. "control" over the Strait of Hormuz, though he acknowledged the threat of asymmetric tactics that no naval force can fully neutralize.
"The one thing you can't stop is somebody's going to want to drop a little mine … and you happen to own a billion-dollar ship," he cautioned. "I'm not sure you're going to be thrilled about sailing it."
Trump also touched on internal Iranian dynamics, suggesting that ordinary Iranians "are getting some guns" to resist the government in Tehran, and predicting that "as soon as they have guns, they'll fight as well as anybody."
The remarks come against a backdrop of sharply rising regional tensions. The U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Tehran to retaliate against Israel and U.S. allies across the Gulf, while simultaneously disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation took hold on April 8, but subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to yield a durable agreement, leaving the extended truce on increasingly shaky ground.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any
responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos,
licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues
related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment