President Donald Trump points to a reporter during a press briefing at the White House, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Trump calls war with Iran “payback” for 47 years of terrorism by the Islamic Republic.
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News
President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that the war with Iran is likely to end in the near future, claiming that the US has few surviving targets left to strike in the Islamic Republic.
The president spoke with Axios in a brief telephone interview that focused on the war in Iran, now in its 12th day.
During the interview, Trump predicted the conflict would end “soon” as there is little left for the US to bomb.
The US, he said, has “practically nothing left to target.”
“Little this and that… Any time I want it to end, it will end,” Trump continued.
Trump boasted that the joint American-Israeli air campaign has been highly successful and is now far ahead of the original timetable.
“The war is going great. We are way ahead of the timetable. We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period,” Trump said.
The president emphasized that the war was launched over concerns about the threat Iran posed regionally, not only to Israel.
“They were after the rest of the Middle East. They are paying for 47 years of death and destruction they caused. This is payback. They will not get off that easy.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the chief of US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, said that American air and naval forces have struck over 5,500 targets in Iran since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury.
“US combat power is building, Iranian combat power is declining, and we remain centered on very clear military objectives in eliminating Iran’s ability to project power against Americans and against its neighbors,” Cooper said in a video statement.
“Every day, we’re striking hard at Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. To date, we have struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran, including more than 60 ships using a variety of precision weapon systems.”
Proposed coalition would also need Shas support, despite its endorsement of Netanyahu.
The agency last estimated Iran held over 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity.
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