President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran might end soon. In a brief phone interview with Axios, he mentioned there was “practically nothing left to target” after nearly two weeks of strikes. He also stated, “Any time I want it to end, it will end,” even as U.S. and Israeli officials indicated no orders had been given to stop the operations.
Trump’s remarks came as fighting continued across the region. Fresh threats emerged around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping lane. According to Axios, U.S. intelligence reported Tuesday that Iran was laying mines in the strait. CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the U.S. military was focused on preventing Iran from disrupting maritime traffic.
Reuters reported that the conflict began nearly two weeks ago with coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes aimed at weakening Iran’s military capabilities and nuclear program. Trump told Axios the campaign was progressing faster than expected and expressed his belief that the war would end “soon.” His comments indicated confidence that the operation had already met most of its military goals, but he did not provide a detailed timeline for stopping combat.
Q: Can you declare victory in this war if the supreme leader remains the ayatollah’s son?
TRUMP: I don’t want to comment on that pic.twitter.com/cLObMvvuGR
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 11, 2026
Despite Trump’s public view, developments on the ground pointed to ongoing instability. Reuters reported that Iranian forces attacked merchant vessels in Gulf waters on Wednesday. They warned the world to prepare for oil prices as high as $200 a barrel. Three ships were hit in or near the Strait of Hormuz area, causing oil prices to rise nearly 5% as the fighting threatened one of the busiest global energy corridors.
Iran also made it clear that it did not accept Washington’s timeline for ending the conflict. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Trump had threatened to escalate the war if Iran blocked oil shipments. Iranian officials stated that Tehran would determine when the fighting would stop.
This gap between Trump’s claim that the war could end whenever he chose and Iran’s position showed that a political resolution to the conflict was still uncertain, even as military pressure increased.
Reporter: “Was there any evidence Iran was about to attack the United States?”
White House: “The president had a feeling.”
A feeling.
Seven Americans dead. 30 service members hospitalized in Kuwait — concealed from the public. 165 schoolgirls killed — confirmed US fault.… pic.twitter.com/RgWDSoHltb
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) March 11, 2026
The fighting has led to significant casualties and regional disruption. Reuters reported Wednesday that the war had killed about 2,000 people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, while Iranian retaliation continued against targets in Israel and the Gulf. ABC News also reported that photos from Tehran showed large crowds at funerals for Iranian military commanders and others killed in the early days of the strikes.
Trump’s interview also addressed Israeli politics. Axios reported that he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and criticized Israeli President Isaac Herzog for how a pardon request related to Netanyahu was handled. Meanwhile, Israeli courts had paused non-emergency proceedings due to the war, putting Netanyahu’s ongoing trial on hold.
For now, Trump is portraying the campaign as nearing its end. However, with Iran still threatening economic retaliation, maritime attacks already occurring, and no public announcement of a halt from Washington or Jerusalem, the conflict remained active Wednesday despite the president’s claim that there was little left to strike.
