Trump says US may resume or intensify Iran attacks after midterms

In an interview with TIME, Trump said he had originally anticipated the conflict would last four to six weeks, yet after seven months no definitive conclusion has emerged. The fighting has interrupted oil shipments via the Strait of Hormuz, driven up energy costs, and produced major economic and geopolitical fallout.

Trump still backs the original decision to go to war, saying force was required to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb. He cites Iran's reduced standing since then as proof that the military campaign has met key goals. Yet the drawn-out nature of the fighting has also made it harder for his administration to reach a conclusion that keeps those achievements intact.

Strait of Hormuz's economic consequences

Because it is vital to worldwide energy supply, the Strait of Hormuz now sits at the heart of the war. Iran's capacity to cut off oil shipments through that waterway has helped trigger a steep jump in energy costs, and American motorists have faced notably higher gasoline prices since hostilities began.

The economic toll has gone beyond energy. Rising oil prices have intensified inflation just as Trump's tariffs are pushing up costs in other areas. These two forces have made the Federal Reserve's choices harder and have contributed to elevated interest rates and more expensive mortgages. As a result, the war has forged a direct connection between Middle East events and the financial situation of American households.

The war's mounting price

US military assets have also come under strain. In the TIME conversation, Trump conceded that inventories of certain ammunition types have declined because the Pentagon has expended large numbers of missile interceptors and other hardware. He maintains that deals have already been struck with defense contractors to boost output and restock those reserves.

The price tag for the war has climbed as well. Figures mentioned in the interview place total American spending at more than $25 billion as of the conversation. The number of US service members killed or injured has also risen sharply since the operation started, imposing an additional political and strategic burden on a fight that has run far longer than first anticipated.

Trump's view on winding down the war

Even with the war dragging on, Trump shows no sign of planning a straightforward pullout. He has said that if talks do not yield a workable deal, the US might renew or step up airstrikes once the midterm elections are over. His position is that Tehran must not be permitted to restore its nuclear program, and he believes ongoing military force could eventually be required for a durable peace.

That leaves the administration in a tough spot. The longer the fighting persists, the heavier the economic, military and political toll will be, but walking away without achieving Trump's stated aims might erode the rationale he gave for entering the conflict.

Strains with Israel

Trump's ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reportedly grown more difficult over the course of the war. The interview indicates that Netanyahu originally urged Trump to take military steps against Iran, but the two have since disagreed about how to handle the fighting and move toward a possible resolution.

The president is said to think that Israeli operations, including bombings in Lebanon, have occasionally hindered US attempts to wind down the wider conflict. His remarks imply that Washington's goals do not always match Israel's, especially when it comes to when and where to conduct additional military strikes.

Finding an exit

The administration is looking for a result that deals with Iran's nuclear activities while also letting America scale back its military presence and restore stability to energy markets.

Trump's words indicate that he continues to see military force as the chief tool for reaching that goal. However, the length of the war and its rising financial burden make a diplomatic resolution more important than ever. The eventual fate of the conflict will hinge on whether the US and Iran can agree on terms that meet American requirements and offer Tehran sufficient reason to accept a deal.