Trump stated that the U.S. and Israel are on track to fulfill their military objectives in Iran and that the conflict could end "very soon," although not this week.
The president had a busy day filled with events—from interviews to a speech at a Republican conference and a briefing on the war in Iran.
Here are the main points made by Trump throughout the day:
- In a conversation with CBS News, he noted: "I think the war is practically over" and added that the U.S. is "significantly ahead of schedule."
- In an interview with NBC, he did not rule out the possibility of purchasing Iranian oil, stating: "This has certainly been discussed."
- Speaking with the New York Post, Trump said that his administration is "far from close" to a decision on sending American troops to Iran.
- At a meeting with Republican lawmakers, he noted that the U.S. is involved in a "short-term" military operation in Iran to "get rid of evil people."
- He added: "We have already won in many aspects, but we have not won definitively.
- Trump also expressed dissatisfaction with Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, without specifying who he would like to see in that position.
- At a press conference, he reiterated that the operation in Iran has been a "huge success," emphasizing the need to prevent nuclear weapons in Iran "for a long time"—a more complex task.
- Trump added that the U.S. has targets in Iran that can be eliminated "in one day."
- Nevertheless, he claims that the war will end "very soon."
Journalists asked Trump how many American lives he is willing to lose in this conflict, considering that the seventh death of an American serviceman has been confirmed.
"In such conflicts, there are always casualties," Trump replied.
The president added that two days ago he met with the families of the fallen servicemen at Dover Air Force Base.
He reported that the families conveyed the same message to him: "[They said]: 'Finish what you started, sir, please finish what you started.'"
Trump's recent comments cast doubt on his assurances of a quick end to the conflict.
Anthony Zurcher,
BBC North America correspondent
Despite his previous hints at a possible end to military operations in Iran, Trump's latest words cast doubt on this.
Trump claims that U.S. actions so far have been a "huge success," pointing to successful operations against the Iranian navy and air force, as well as damage to radar systems.
However, he insists on the necessity of ensuring that Iran does not develop weapons that threaten the U.S. and its allies "for a long time."
This is a more complex task, and achieving it may require a regime change, which Trump has not yet managed to accomplish.
In response to questions, Trump spoke about his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which took place earlier the same day.
"We talked about Ukraine, which is an endless struggle," he stated.
"There is a huge hatred between Putin and Zelensky; they cannot come to an agreement. However, I believe it was a positive conversation."
Middle Eastern issues were also discussed, and Putin "expressed a desire to help."
"I told him: 'You could be of great help if you helped Ukraine end the war. That would be much more beneficial.' But our conversation was quite productive."
Additionally, on Monday, Putin congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei on his election as Supreme Leader of Iran, reaffirming Moscow's support for Tehran, according to Kremlin reports.
Meanwhile, mass demonstrations in support of the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei took place across Iran, despite ongoing bombings by the U.S. and Israel.
Saudi Arabia intercepted two drones.
A representative of the Saudi Ministry of Defense reported that the country's military intercepted two drones heading east.
This occurred less than three hours after two other drones were intercepted near the Al-Harj province.
"Hezbollah" claimed responsibility for the attack on Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese group "Hezbollah" announced attacks on Israeli soldiers in southern areas of Lebanon.
The statement indicated that fighters ambushed Israeli soldiers on the outskirts of the city of Khiam, striking three "Merkava" tanks, which subsequently caught fire.
Earlier, the group reported rocket attacks on Israeli forces in the city of Merkab and shelling in the Khanouk area of the village of Aytarun. It was also confirmed that they attacked Israeli positions on the Kakhil heights in the border area of Maroun al-Ras.
Taiwan stated it has not received requests from the U.S. regarding arms supplies to the Middle East.
Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo stated that the U.S. has not approached the island regarding the transfer of arms to the Middle East, despite recent negotiations with South Korea.
On Tuesday, Koo told reporters that any redeployment of Taiwanese weapons would only occur at the request of the U.S.
"However, so far, in connection with the war between the U.S. and Iran, they have not approached us with a request to use our equipment," Koo added, as reported by Reuters.
The South Korean Foreign Minister stated that their military is in talks with American counterparts about a possible redeployment of some American Patriot missile systems to the Middle East.
Reports indicate that Patriot systems are being prepared for relocation, and heavy American military transport planes are arriving in the country.
Dozens killed in Tehran due to intense bombings.
Mohamed Vall
Reporting from Tehran, Iran.
Today, Tehran faced the most intense shelling since the beginning of the conflict, affecting the eastern, southern, and western districts of the city.
The explosions were so powerful that they shook the windows in our office. We cannot confirm the locations of the strikes, as the Iranian government is not providing this information, and media access to the affected areas is restricted.
However, it is known that the shelling was very aggressive and among the most powerful since the war began.
Throughout the day, strikes also affected areas around Tehran and other cities, including Ahvaz, Isfahan, and Karaj. In Karaj, the power supply was partially cut off.
It is evident that the shelling has covered the entire country. Targets have yet to be established. Nevertheless, in Isfahan, authorities reported that the strikes hit the governor's building and a UNESCO-listed site.
At least 40 people have died in the eastern part of Tehran, marking the latest case among civilians. The total number of civilian casualties has exceeded 1,300, and authorities note that this is extremely concerning statistics.
A drone attacked an American base near the airport in Baghdad.
According to Iraqi security services, a drone attacked a U.S. logistics camp near the airport of the Iraqi capital.
The threat level has been raised in Qatar. Later, the Ministry of Defense confirmed the interception of 17 ballistic missiles and seven drones.
In Bahrain, it was confirmed that a 29-year-old woman died as a result of an Iranian attack on a residential building in Manama.
It is evident that Iranian attacks are targeting energy infrastructure in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region.
In Bahrain, a drone also attacked the BAPCO oil refinery, one of the largest in the country, causing huge plumes of black smoke over the facility.
In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Defense reported the interception of nine drones heading towards oil fields in the Rub' al Khali desert, near the UAE border.
Islamic resistance in Iraq claims that over the past 24 hours, their fighters have conducted 37 operations against "enemy bases in Iraq and the region."
The Iran-backed group claims to have used dozens of drones and missiles in these attacks.
The record Conflict in Iran: Trump assures that the war is close to ending; attacks in the Persian Gulf continue first appeared on K-News.
