Trump Says US Very Close to Meeting Military Objectives, Considers ‘Winding Down’ Iran Operation

President Donald Trump on Friday signaled that an end to the Iran war is fast approaching.

“We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

He listed five objectives that are nearing completion, including the degradation of Iran’s missile systems, the destruction of the nation’s defense production, the elimination of its Navy and Air Force, preventing the regime from obtaining nuclear weapons, and protecting neighboring countries, including Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and others.

The president said assistance from allies will be needed to protect the Strait of Hormuz after the United States departs.

“The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not!” Trump wrote. “If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated.”

The president said that protecting the shipping lane, vital to the globe’s energy supply, would amount to “an easy military operation.”

Trump told an audience in the White House earlier in the day that Operation Epic Fury, launched on Feb. 28, is a resounding success.

“We’re doing extremely well in Iran,” Trump said. “They have no Navy anymore … and we have the greatest Navy anywhere in the world, and it’s not even close.”

Joint Israeli and U.S. operations have severely degraded Iran’s Navy, Air Force, radar, and anti-aircraft defense systems.

“Their leaders are all gone,” Trump said. “The next set of leaders are all gone, and the next set of leaders are mostly gone, and now nobody wants to be a leader over there anymore.”

“Even now, over the past few weeks, the world has seen the true strength and might of our sailors and aviators as they fought in one of the most complex and successful military operations of all time against the Iranian regime.”

On Friday, Trump told reporters as he prepared to leave the White House that Iran is, “from a military standpoint … finished,” but they’re “clogging up” the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said it would be a “simple military maneuver” to keep the vital shipping lane open but it requires help, which he said needs more “volume.” He said “it would be nice” if the countries that rely on the strait would get involved in helping to keep it open.

On Friday, more countries said they would back reopening the Strait of Hormuz following calls by Trump for NATO to help secure the key waterway.

Signaling their readiness in a joint statement were Bahrain, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Earlier this week, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and the UK said they would prepare to help ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. Around 20 percent of the world’s oil is estimated to be shipped through the strait.

With commercial traffic slowing virtually to a halt, the price for a barrel of crude oil has surged. Brent crude oil has increased to $112 per barrel, and West Texas International crude stood at $97 per barrel on Friday, causing U.S. gas prices to increase to nearly $4 per gallon, on average, nationwide.

On Thursday, Trump welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to the Executive Mansion to discuss the war, among other matters.

The president vowed during the bilateral talks to “not send troops anywhere,” though he added, “If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you, but I’m not putting troops [in the region].”

Thirteen U.S. service members have lost their lives since fighting erupted.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.