Post by : Badri Ariffin

United States President Donald Trump has indicated that the US is “very close” to achieving its objectives in the ongoing conflict with Iran, even as his administration continues to increase military presence in the region.

On Friday, Trump posted on social media that the US is considering “winding down” its military operations in the Middle East. At the same time, the White House has deployed 2,500 additional marines and requested $200 billion from Congress to fund ongoing operations.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the mission, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, was initially predicted to take 4-6 weeks. She said, “Tomorrow marks week three, and the US Armed Forces are doing an exceptional job. Day by day, the Iranian regime is being crippled, and their ability to threaten the US and our allies is significantly weakened.”

Despite these statements, the conflict shows no sign of slowing. US and Israeli forces have launched attacks on Tehran and nearby areas as Iran celebrated the Persian New Year, Nowruz. In the northern village of Dastak, shelling killed at least two civilians, according to Gilan province authorities.

Iran retaliated by firing two ballistic missiles at the Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean, jointly operated by the US and the UK. Israel reported continued Iranian missile strikes, while Saudi Arabia said it shot down 20 drones over its eastern oil-rich region within hours.

Trump has emphasized that no ground troops will be sent into Iran for now, but all options remain on the table. Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei claimed his country had dealt “a dizzying blow” to its enemies, calling the US-Israeli war a “gross miscalculation.”

The conflict has already caused heavy casualties. Iranian authorities report over 1,400 deaths, Israeli bombings killed more than 1,000 in Lebanon, at least 18 people died in Israel from Iranian missile attacks, and 13 US soldiers have lost their lives.

The war’s duration and objectives remain uncertain, even as the US signals it is nearing its goals while continuing to strengthen its military presence.

#world news #Asia News