Iran is “essentially… no longer a threat,” U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (1 April), signalling what he described as the final phase of the war with Iran. In a televised address from the White House, Trump stated the U.S.-led campaign "Operation Epic Fury" was nearing completion.
“We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks,” Trump stated, while also suggesting diplomatic discussions were ongoing.
In his address, the U.S. President portrayed the campaign as an overwhelming success, claiming Iran’s navy had been “completely destroyed”, its air force left “in ruins”, and its missile and drone capabilities significantly degraded.
He also said leadership structures within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had been largely dismantled.
“Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating losses in a matter of weeks,” President Trump said.
The U.S. president framed the operation as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, reiterating longstanding accusations against Tehran over its regional activities and support for proxy groups.
He argued that allowing Iran to develop nuclear capabilities would pose an “intolerable threat” to global security.
President Trump indicated that Washington was not explicitly pursuing regime change, although he acknowledged that Iran’s leadership had effectively been transformed following the deaths of senior figures.
He warned, however, that further strikes remained on the table if negotiations failed, including potential attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure and power grid, targets he said had so far been deliberately avoided.
The president also sought to reassure Americans over rising fuel prices, blaming recent increases on Iranian attacks on commercial shipping and regional instability. He insisted the U.S. economy remained strong enough to withstand short-term disruptions.
Trump added that the United States was largely insulated from energy shocks due to domestic production, urging other countries dependent on oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz to take greater responsibility for securing the vital route.
Trump stressed that military operations would continue until all objectives were achieved.
“We are on the cusp of ending Iran’s threat to America and the world,” he said.
The remarks come as global oil and stock markets reacted negatively to the speech, reflecting continued uncertainty over the trajectory of the conflict and its economic fallout.
The United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on 28 February, targeting key military and nuclear infrastructure.
Early strikes reportedly included one that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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An Iranian drone and missile attack struck Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, injuring several people, damaging Terminal 1 and forcing flight diversions, Kuwaiti authorities said.
A series of military drones entering the airspace of Finland and the Baltic states has heightened concerns that the war in Ukraine is increasingly affecting NATO’s northern flank. The incidents have triggered security alerts, air defence responses and political fallout across the region.
At least 21 people, including 18 foreign nationals, have died after a devastating fire swept through a hotel in India's capital, Delhi, on Wednesday. The blaze is among the deadliest fires recorded in the city since 2022.
Kazakhstan has used a high-level visit by Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee to promote itself as a gateway to Central Asia, offering investors access to industrial projects worth more than $100 billion and a growing regional market.
Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought heavy rain, power cuts and transport disruption across Japan on Wednesday (3 June) as it tracked towards the greater Tokyo region.
Police officers were pelted with missiles during violent clashes at a protest near the Southampton, UK, home of convicted murderer Vickrum Digwa, as anger continued to grow over the handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
Competing narratives continue to shape perceptions of the war in Ukraine, with Russian leadership suggesting a possible end phase while Ukrainian officials warn of renewed large-scale attacks and ongoing escalation risks.
An Iranian drone and missile attack struck Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, injuring several people, damaging Terminal 1 and forcing flight diversions, Kuwaiti authorities said.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Albania in recent days to protest against a luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his wife Ivanka Trump.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Monday they targeted the source of an attack on a telecom facility on Sirik Island near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Tasnim News Agency reported.
Iran really wanted to make a deal with the U.S. and that it would be a good one for Washington and its allies, President Donald Trump said on Monday.
Iran has strongly condemned U.S. threats to impose sanctions on and bomb Oman following reported talks between Muscat and Tehran on jointly overseeing the Strait of Hormuz, reiterating that the Islamic Republic’s actions in the strategic waterway are “lawful”.
The United States has warned Oman against supporting any effort to impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, saying Washington would penalise any parties involved in facilitating such a system.
The Islamic Revolution’s Guards Corps of Iran (IRGC) said it carried out a retaliatory attack on a U.S. airbase in the early hours of Thursday. The airbase was used to target a ground control station on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas Airport in Hormuzgan Province, which faces the Strait of Hormuz.
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