Trump Lauds US War Effort as Iran Vows to Escalate Retaliation

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In Washington, the Republican-controlled Senate rejected a Democratic attempt to halt the US strikes on Iran. The House, also controlled by Trump’s party, is expected to vote on a similar measure Thursday.

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Trump has offered shifting explanations for the strikes, reiterating claims that Iran posed an imminent threat and saying the US acted before Tehran could attack Israel or American interests.

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“Their missiles are being wiped out rapidly. Their launchers are being wiped out. They’re attacking their neighbors. They’re attacking their — in some cases  — allies, or not-so-long-ago allies,” Trump said. “It’s really a nation that was out of control, and they would have used it on us if we let them.”

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The duration of military operations remains uncertain, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth telling reporters “it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three” weeks before they are wrapped up. 

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Iran has shown no sign of abandoning its nuclear or missile programs despite US and Israeli claims of heavy damage. Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, told Army Radio Iran still has “significant capabilities” and that “there’s still a long way to go.”

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Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime chokepoint vital for energy flows and container shipping, has slumped, prompting Trump to announce the US would provide insurance guarantees and naval escorts if needed to ensure safe passage for oil tankers and other vessels.

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The White House provided few details about the insurance program, or when US naval escorts would begin. Traders and analysts still expect it will take weeks before flows can resume meaningfully. 

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Tehran dismissed an earlier report that its Ministry of Intelligence had reached out to the US to negotiate an end to the conflict as “pure falsehood.”

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“We have no trust in the Americans and no intention of negotiating with the US,” Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was slain in the first salvo of strikes, told Iran’s state-run television.

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There are signs Iran is increasingly switching to drones, which tend to be less destructive because they carry smaller payloads.

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A British air base in Cyprus was hit by a drone strike on the weekend — so far the only attack on European territory. Greece, the UK and France are now bolstering the Mediterranean island’s defenses.

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Israel confirmed attacking a building in Iran’s Qom used by the Assembly of Experts — a conclave that will select Khamenei’s successor. A military spokesperson also appeared to acknowledge that, as widely reported, the site was empty at the time and the clerics survived. Iran’s Nour agency said three people were killed in the attack.

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The leadership selection process is close to complete, with options having been identified, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported, citing Ahmad Khatami, a member of the assembly.

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Preparations were under way for Khamenei’s funeral to begin in Tehran on Wednesday, but the ceremony has been postponed to a later date, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. 

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—With assistance from Eltaf Najafizada, Patrick Sykes, Arsalan Shahla, Michael Ovaska, Cedric Sam, Skylar Woodhouse, Paul Wallace and Galit Altstein.

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