Donald Trump has insisted the conflict with Iran is “very complete, pretty much,” while reiterating his claim that Tehran was preparing to strike the US within days.
In an interview with CBS News on Monday, Trump shared his assessment of where the fighting stands: “I think the war is very complete, pretty much. If you look, they have nothing left.”
He continued: “They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force. Wrapping up is all in my mind.”
Later, speaking to Republicans at Mar-a-Lago, the President again defended the military action and described it as a necessary move, telling the audience: “We took a little excursion, because we felt we had to get rid of some people.
“We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough.
“We go forward, more determined than ever to achieve ultimate victory that will end this danger once and for all.”
Trump also repeated the justification he has given for ordering strikes on February 28, claiming the US faced an imminent threat: “I thought they were going to attack us. They did something very foolish, very stupid.They attacked their neighbours.”
He added: “Their neighbours were fairly neutral, they weren’t going to attack.[Attacking neighbouring countries] had the reverse effect, the neighbours came onto our side.
“They were strong and smart but they got attacked. When I first heard it I said ‘someone made a mistake’. But there was no mistake.”
With officials touting the operation as a success, many in the US have been watching for signs that an end could be near. Asked directly whether the war might be over as soon as this week, Trump stopped short of guaranteeing a timeline but said: ““No… but soon, I think soon, very soon.”
He also claimed: “We’re protecting the world from these lunatics very successfully.”
The remarks come after ten days of heavy strikes targeting Tehran’s navy, air force, and communications networks—attacks that have severely reduced Iran’s military capabilities, alongside reported large-scale civilian harm.
On Monday, Iranian Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian told Al Jazeera that at least 1,255 people had been killed in Iran, including 200 children and 11 healthcare workers. Those figures have not been independently confirmed.
Jafarian also said more than 12,000 people have been wounded over the past 10 days, with many suffering burn and crush injuries.
He further claimed that 29 clinical facilities have been significantly damaged, with 10 forced to shut down, while 52 health centres, 18 emergency service sites and 15 ambulances were also damaged or destroyed.
Among what Jafarian described as the most serious public-health threats was an Israeli strike on multiple fuel storage sites in Tehran—targets Israel said were used “to operate military infrastructure”.
The strikes reportedly ignited major fires at the Aghdasieh oil warehouse, the Tehran refinery and the Shahran oil depot, sending large plumes of toxic smoke into surrounding areas and raising concerns for children, older people, and those with pre-existing illnesses.
Jafarian also warned about lingering environmental consequences after the fighting ends, saying acid rain “would pollute the soil and have a lasting environmental impact,”
“This is not a military issue. … This is not a military target,” he argued.