Trump vows to hit Iran ‘extremely hard’ in next three weeks as conflict scales up

President Donald Trump delivered a prime-time address regarding the ongoing conflict with Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury. He expressed the view that the United States is nearing the completion of its strategic objectives, but he warned of a significant escalation in the immediate future. This marks his first national address since launching this operation in Iran on February 28. Despite widespread expectations that a ceasefire would be announced, the president reportedly repeated much of what he had already said over the past few weeks.

Concerning the current situation, this shows that the US is very close to finishing the war, as discussions with Iran are ongoing and the US is going to hit Iran “extremely hard” over the next two weeks.

In this connection, he said: “We’re going to bring back to the stone ages where they belong as never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating large-scale losses in a matter of weeks.”

Despite the rhetoric, reports suggest Trump is willing to end the war without reopening the Strait first, as “prying it open” would take longer than his 4-to-6-week timeline.

The US aims to cripple Iran’s Navy and missile stocks before winding down, eventually pushing allies in Europe and the Gulf to lead diplomatic trade talks. Crude oil is trading between $101-113 a barrel, and jet fuel prices have doubled. In line with the current situation, the complete shutdown of the strait has been one of the most severe global consequences of the war. 

The strait is a crucial shipping lane in the Persian Gulf that is significant to move about 20 per cent of the world’s oil. The US national average for gasoline has crossed $4 a gallon, creating a political headache for the Republican Party ahead of the November midterms. The Trump administration has requested an additional $200 billion for the war, though it faces stiff opposition in Congress.

The president paid tribute to the 13 US soldiers who have died in the war to date, and repeated multiple times that the US’s “core strategic objectives”-including eliminating Iran's navy, air force, missile program, and proxy network-were nearing completion.

There are signs of intense feelings of exasperation he has felt toward allies who have not backed military action against Iran; furthermore, he posted on social media, saying he was seriously considering withdrawing from NATO.

Donald Trump’s 15-point framework was sent to Tehran despite a denial from Iran later in the day as the initial reports were enough to shift global sentiment.

But the talks have been characterized as indirect, conducted through intermediaries as he has frequently suggested the US could exit the conflict within weeks.

Nonetheless, President Trump continued to say that the US is “systematically dismantling the region’s ability to threaten America or project power outside of their borders.” He promised that once the war is over, “the United States will be safer, stronger, more prosperous and greater than it has ever been before.”