President Donald Trump offered sharply conflicting signals on Monday about the trajectory of the United States-Israeli war against Iran, first suggesting the campaign was nearly complete “very complete, pretty much,” before warning hours later that American forces could escalate their attacks if Tehran attempted to disrupt global energy supplies.
Trump suggests war may be nearing completion
Earlier Monday, Trump appeared to indicate that the campaign had already achieved much of its objective. In a phone interview with CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang, the president characterised the operation as largely finished.
“The war ‘is very complete, pretty much,’” Trump said. He added, “We’re very far ahead of schedule.”
Those remarks briefly calmed global energy markets, which had been shaken by fears that the conflict could spread across the Middle East. Oil prices, which had surged overnight amid concerns about supply disruptions, fell after the interview.
Yet the apparent signal of de-escalation proved short-lived.
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Later in the day, after financial markets had closed, Trump adopted a far more combative tone during a gathering of Republican lawmakers in Florida.
“We have won in many ways, but not enough,” Trump told the audience. “We go forward more determined than ever to achieve ultimate victory that will end this long-running danger once and for all.”
Speaking again to reporters Monday evening, the president warned of severe consequences if Iranian leaders attempted to block global oil flows, particularly through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
“We will hit them so hard that it will not be possible for them or anybody else helping them to ever recover that section of the world,” Trump said.
When asked whether the war might end within days, the president offered a vague timetable: “No.” He added only “soon, very soon.”
Meanwhile, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth appeared far from signalling an end to the Iran war, emphasising that the campaign had only just begun.
Oil Prices Soar Then Retreat as Markets Digest Contradictory Signals
The volatility in Trump’s messaging was mirrored in global commodity markets. The international benchmark crude price, which had sat below $70 a barrel the previous month, briefly surged to nearly $120 late on Sunday night before retreating following a statement from the Group of Seven nations that they were actively exploring intervention to stabilise prices. A further slide came on the back of Trump’s morning remarks to CBS, with the benchmark ultimately closing below $90.
Trump claimed in the CBS interview that the Strait of Hormuz had reopened to maritime traffic — an assertion flatly contradicted by international shipping monitors, who reported the waterway remained effectively closed. The president also said he was “thinking about taking it over,” though the White House did not clarify what such a move would entail.
Iran Names New Supreme Leader as US-Israeli Airstrikes Continue
As the conflict entered its tenth day, US and Israeli forces have conducted more than 3,000 airstrikes, according to Trump’s own figures, killing approximately 1,300 people in Iran, per Iranian officials. Israeli military sources put t