On Wednesday, Donald Trump claimed that the United States was “close to achieving” its goals in the war against Iran, but that they would continue to hit the country “extremely hard” for another two to three weeks. In his first national address since the conflict began over a month ago, the American president boasted of “decisive” and “overwhelming” victories achieved by the United States, reiterating that the strikes were necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. However, he emphasized that the end of the conflict had not yet arrived.
“We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to bring them back to the Stone Age to which they belong,” he declared.
Donald Trump once again threatened to target Iranian energy infrastructure, stating that without an agreement, the United States would “hit each of their power plants very hard and probably simultaneously.” The American president also called on countries dependent on the Strait of Hormuz to “deal with” and resolve the blockade by Iran of this strategic maritime route for hydrocarbon distribution worldwide.
In the morning, he had ruled out any truce without the reopening of the strait, which has destabilized the global economy. Without the lifting of the blockade, Iran would be bombarded “to annihilation,” he warned. The near-closure of this maritime passage has caused a surge in oil prices, fueling fears of lasting inflation. The Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s ideological army, reiterated that the strait would remain closed to the country’s “enemies.”
In this context, London announced a virtual meeting involving around thirty countries to ensure security in the strait once hostilities cease. Before his address, Donald Trump assured on his Truth Social network that his Iranian counterpart, Massoud Pezeshkian, had called for a “CEASEFIRE.” These claims were dismissed as “false” by the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esma’il Baghaei, who also denied the existence of direct negotiations with the United States and characterized Washington’s demands as “maximalist and irrational.”
Massoud Pezeshkian had mentioned on Tuesday a willingness “to end” the war but listed requirements such as security guarantees and financial compensation. Driven by hopes of de-escalation, European and Wall Street markets had closed higher on Wednesday before Trump’s speech. However, after the address, the price of Brent crude oil – the global benchmark – rose above $105.
The economic repercussions of the conflict continue to be felt worldwide. In an interview with AFP, the World Bank’s Managing Director, Paschal Donohoe, expressed deep concern on Wednesday about the consequences of the war, particularly its impact on inflation, jobs, and food security.
Throughout Wednesday, Gulf countries were targeted by Iranian attacks, such as in the UAE, where a Bangladeshi was killed. Similar attacks were reported in Israel, where the army claimed to have intercepted missile strikes from Iran from Wednesday night to Thursday following a day marked by other missile strikes that injured 14 people near Tel Aviv.
During his address, Donald Trump pledged not to abandon his Gulf allies, including “Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain.” Meanwhile, Israel continued its airstrikes, with a “wave of significant strikes” in Tehran. Powerful explosions were heard in the western part of the city on Wednesday afternoon. Despite the bombings, thousands of Iranians attended the funeral in the capital of a commander killed by an Israeli strike. A sign held by a child proclaimed “Vengeance” in English.
From the Israeli side, while the government believed it had dealt a blow to Iranian nuclear and ballistic programs, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the “campaign is not over.” In Lebanon, the toll of a month of Israeli strikes has now surpassed 1,300 deaths, according to the government, which reported seven deaths in the Beirut region on Wednesday. The pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement dragged Lebanon into the war on March 2 by attacking Israel to avenge the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the conflict on February 28. Israel warned it planned to occupy part of southern Lebanon once the war was over.
