Trump claims US forces nearly destroyed Iran’s military capability during last 11 days 

Washington (Web Desk): United States (US) President Donald Trump has claimed that the American military has nearly dismantled Iran’s military capabilities during the past 11 days of fighting.

Addressing a supporters rally in Kentucky, he stated that Iran’s naval forces have been sunk at sea while its air force has been destroyed.

The US president further stated that 58 naval vessels were eliminated and 31 sea mines were neutralised during the operation.

Trump asserted that the US has effectively prevailed in the conflict against Iran.

However, he added that American forces will continue their presence in the region until the mission’s objectives are fully achieved.

Speaking about the global energy situation, he said members of the International Energy Agency (IEA) had agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves.

The move, he noted, is expected to help stabilise supply and ease prices in international oil markets.
Earlier on Wednesday, President Trump indicated that the US military campaign against Iran could conclude rapidly, asserting that American forces have almost no remaining targets in the country.

In an interview with American news website Axios, the US president said there was “virtually nothing left to strike,” adding that the conflict could end “very soon.” Trump further suggested that the duration of the war depended largely on his decision, remarking that it would stop whenever he chose to bring it to an end.

Since the start of the conflict, Trump has delivered inconsistent signals about both the goals and the timeframe of the military operation. Earlier this week, he again hinted that the fighting might wrap up in the near future.

At the same time, the American leader is confronting growing pressure domestically as opinion surveys turn unfavorable and worries increase over the global economic fallout linked to the joint US-Israeli campaign targeting Iran.

Critics have argued that the White House launched the operation without sufficiently preparing for potential consequences, including the risk that Iran could disrupt oil tanker movement through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

These concerns have added to the political challenges facing the 79-year-old Republican president. Analysts believe he may attempt to bring the conflict to a swift close in order to prevent further political damage to his party ahead of the November midterm elections that will determine control of the United States Congress.

However, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday said that Israel is not planning to limit the campaign in the same way.

Speaking on Wednesday, he said the operation would proceed for as long as necessary and without a predetermined timeframe until all of its objectives are fulfilled.

Iranian officials, meanwhile, have warned that they are prepared to respond forcefully. Ali Fadavi, an adviser to the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said on state television that the US and Israel should be ready for a prolonged war of attrition.

He cautioned that such a conflict could severely harm both the American and global economies while gradually wearing down US military strength.

On Wednesday, tensions escalated further when the IRGC announced that they had targeted a Liberia-flagged vessel and a Thai bulk carrier in the strategic maritime corridor of the Strait of Hormuz.