US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the ongoing war with Iran could conclude in the near future, stating that the campaign has already caused extensive damage to Iranian targets.
In a brief phone conversation with Axios, Trump indicated that the military operation had largely achieved its goals. "Little this and that... Any time I want it to end, it will end," he said.
Trump said the campaign has been so extensive that there is now "practically nothing left to target."
"The war is going great. We are way ahead of the timetable," Trump said. "We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period."
Despite Trump's remarks, Axios reports that officials in both Israel and the US have not issued formal instructions indicating when the fighting will conclude.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the campaign against Iran will continue "without any time limit, for as long as necessary, until we achieve all the objectives and decisively win the campaign."
Israeli and American officials have reportedly been preparing for the possibility of additional strikes in Iran over the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, intelligence received Tuesday suggested that Iran had begun placing naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route for global oil shipments. The number of mines deployed is believed to be limited.
Trump confirmed to Axios that US forces struck 16 Iranian boats believed to be involved in laying the mines, disrupting the effort.
Addressing Iran's role in the region, Trump said the regime's hostility extended beyond Israel and the US.
"They were after the rest of the Middle East," he said. "They are paying for 47 years of death and destruction they caused. This is payback. They will not get off that easy."