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US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the war with Iran could be over within two to three weeks, adding that other countries would be responsible for securing the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, said the United States would be leaving Iran “very soon” perhaps within “two weeks, maybe three” but insisted that American forces were “finishing the job.”
“We want to knock out every single thing they have,” Trump said, before adding that “it’s possible that we’ll make a deal before that.”
The White House said Trump would address the nation on Wednesday at 9:00 pm (0100 GMT Thursday) to provide “an important update on Iran.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the joint campaign against Iran had “changed the face of the Middle East” and vowed to continue targeting Tehran.
In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes killed at least seven people in south Beirut and nearby areas, and the Israeli military said it struck a senior Hezbollah commander.
The conflict has killed more than 1,200 people in Lebanon and displaced over a million, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Trump’s announcement sent global markets soaring, with Brent crude falling 3.2 percent to $103.97 per barrel. Japan’s Nikkei index rose over three percent, while South Korea’s Kospi climbed nearly five percent.
Iranian officials, however, denied ongoing negotiations. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he continued to receive messages from US envoy Steve Witkoff “directly, as before,” but insisted this did not constitute formal talks.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also threatened to retaliate against major US tech companies, including Google, Meta, and Apple, if further Iranian leaders were assassinated.
