US President Donald Trump said Wednesday evening that Iran is suffering badly following the latest US strikes, arguing that the Islamic Republic has lost much of its military capability and is running out of time.
Speaking at an event in the Rose Garden, Trump praised Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for the US operation against Iranian targets the previous night.
“You did a good job last night in Iran, by the way. You knocked the hell out of them. Very good."
Trump said the United States was making major gains in the confrontation, claiming Iran had effectively lost its naval and air capabilities.
“We're winning that one very big, by the way, in case you haven't noticed. They don't have a Navy. They don't have an Air Force. They don't have any aircraft. Anything having to do with aircraft or ships, they're all at the bottom of the sea or at the bottom of a runway. Their leaders are gone. All of their technology is gone. Their weapons are largely gone. Other than that, they're doing quite well."
He also pointed to Iran's economic difficulties, saying the country's currency and economy had been severely damaged.
“Their economy is totally shot. Their economy is the worst anywhere in the world, they said this morning. They have close to 300% inflation, their money is valueless. They're not doing well at all, so it's just a question of time," added the President.
Trump said the US campaign was intended to protect Israel and other countries in the Middle East, as well as the United States itself.
“We're doing it to help the Middle East, we're doing it to help Israel, we're doing it to help ourselves, because after they annihilate Israel, which they would've done very gladly, and then the Middle East, then they come after Europe and they come after some of our cities before we put them away."
Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, Trump claimed that US forces now control the strategic waterway and that ships carrying oil continue to pass through it.
“But we're doing really well with Iran. We now control the Hormuz Strait. We have many boats going through that every day, every night. Many boats loaded up with oil. So far they've done very little to be able to stop it."
Trump's remarks came several hours after he told reporters at the Oval Office that he did not expect the renewed conflict with Iran to last much longer.
Asked about the expected duration of the latest escalation, Trump said, “Not too long". He then indicated that Iran might not be able to withstand continued US attacks.
“I don’t think it will be very much longer. I don’t know how much more they can take," Trump said of Iran.
Trump also described the previous night's US strikes, saying they destroyed newly built Iranian military equipment positioned near the Strait of Hormuz.
“We hit them very hard last night. We took out all of the new equipment that they tried to build along the Strait of Hormuz, some defensive, some offensive. They were trying to see the ships because they can’t see the ships. They can't see them because they have no radar, because we blew it up."
He warned that the United States was prepared to conduct additional strikes if necessary.
“It was a very heavy attack last night, and we are prepared to do another one anytime we want," he stressed.
The latest escalation comes as Israel's defense establishment warns of a growing possibility of another confrontation involving Iran.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that mounting economic pressure and increasing tensions surrounding the Iranian regime could lead Tehran to launch a direct military confrontation with Israel. He said Israel is prepared to respond.
“We are prepared for both defense and offense, in coordination with the United States," he said.
“If they attack because of Lebanon, because of Samaria, because of Gaza, or simply because they feel like it, our planes are ready to take off."