HEBRON: US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States must “finish the job” in Iran, even as he suggested earlier that the conflict could be nearing its end.
Speaking at a rally in Hebron, Kentucky, Trump praised the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran and claimed that American forces had dealt a decisive blow to Tehran’s military capabilities.
“We don’t want to leave early, do we? We’ve got to finish the job,” he told supporters, while also declaring that the United States had effectively “won” the war.
Just eleven days into Operation Epic Fury, the POWERFUL of the United States military is crushing the enemy. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/B53Mij2n89
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 11, 2026
The president said US forces had destroyed 58 Iranian naval vessels during the operation, describing the initial phase of the campaign as decisive. “In the first hour, it was over,” Trump said, while cautioning that it was still too early to formally declare victory.
Rising energy prices
Trump also addressed rising energy prices triggered by the conflict, saying Washington could tap the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve “a little bit” to help ease costs. He said the move would help bring down fuel prices before the reserves are replenished later.
His comments came as the International Energy Agency and its member countries agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves to stabilise global markets amid disruptions caused by the war.
Meanwhile, Trump also recounted questioning US military leaders about a strike on an Iranian warship near Sri Lanka, saying he had asked why the vessel was destroyed instead of captured. According to Trump, one general responded that destroying the ship was simply “a lot more fun,” a remark the president said left him uneasy.
The conflict has disrupted global energy supplies and heightened tensions across the Middle East, with markets and governments closely watching developments as the crisis continues to unfold.
Earlier, President Trump said the war with Iran could end “soon”, claiming American forces had already destroyed most of their targets in the country, as Tehran warned it would expand attacks against US and Israeli economic interests across the region.
In a phone interview with Axios on Wednesday, Trump said there was “practically nothing left to target” in Iran following nearly two weeks of US-Israeli military operations.
“Little this and that… Any time I want it to end, it will end,” Trump said.
The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched large-scale strikes against Iran.
US officials said the operation targeted military facilities and government sites across Iran.
Iranian state television reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in Tehran during the first day of the strikes.
His son Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen as Iran’s news Supreme Leader on Monday.
140 US troops injured
Trump told Axios that the joint military campaign had exceeded expectations. “The war is going great. We are way ahead of the timetable,” he said.
“We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period.”
He also accused Iran of destabilising the region over decades.
“They were after the rest of the Middle East. They are paying for 47 years of death and destruction they caused. This is payback. They will not get off that easy,” Trump said.
On Tuesday, the Pentagon said that around 140 US service members had been wounded during the first ten days of the conflict.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States and Israel were “winning” the war and rapidly achieving their objectives.
