In his first major national address since hostilities began, Trump said the ongoing military campaign, dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury', has delivered 'swift, decisive, overwhelming victories'.
Key Points
- Trump warns Iran of 'extremely hard' strikes within two to three weeks.
- US claims major military gains under 'Operation Epic Fury'.
- Threat to target Iran's power infrastructure if no deal is reached.
- Calls on allies to reclaim Strait of Hormuz amid tanker attacks.
- Conflict has disrupted global energy markets and raised fuel prices.
United States President Donald Trump warned that Iran would be hit 'extremely hard' over the next two to three weeks, even as diplomatic talks continue to end the over month-long conflict.
He said the US is 'on the cusp' of eliminating what he called Tehran's 'sinister threat' to the US and the world, adding that military operations will continue until all objectives are achieved.
Operation Epic Fury: Progress and Impact
In his first major national address since hostilities began, Trump said the ongoing military campaign, dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury', has delivered 'swift, decisive, overwhelming victories'.
He claimed Iran's navy has been destroyed, its air force crippled, and its missile and drone capabilities significantly reduced, with weapons factories and launchers 'being blown to pieces'.
According to him, the campaign's core strategic objectives are nearing completion, aimed at crippling Iran militarily and preventing it from supporting proxies or developing nuclear weapons.
Regime Change Claim and Strategic Targets
Trump asserted that while 'regime change was not our goal', it had effectively occurred following the deaths of Iran's top leadership.
After the reported killing of Ali Khamenei in earlier US-Israel strikes, his son Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed as the new supreme leader.
The President warned that if no deal is reached soon, the US is prepared to strike key infrastructure, including Iran's electric generating plants, and could expand targets further.
Strait of Hormuz and Global Stakes
Calling on global partners to share responsibility, Trump urged oil-importing nations to 'reclaim' the Strait of Hormuz from Iran, which he accused of attacking commercial oil tankers.
He linked these disruptions to a more than 25 per cent rise in US gasoline prices, describing it as a 'short-term increase'.
Thanking allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, he said the US is close to 'finishing the job' and would not let partners fail.
Trump Mock Macron
Ahead of his address, Trump touted his leadership, saying he would 'tell everybody how great I am' and calling his record 'phenomenal'.
He joked about being called 'king', while also mocking French President Emmanuel Macron in remarks that went viral.
The address was positioned as a comprehensive operational update, with officials saying the campaign is meeting or exceeding benchmarks and entering a critical phase.
The conflict intensified after US-Israel joint strikes on Iran on February 28, which reportedly killed Khamenei, triggering Iranian retaliation against US and Israeli assets across the Gulf.
The escalation disrupted key waterways and impacted global energy markets, raising concerns about wider economic instability.
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