US President Donald Trump has indicated the American military campaign against Iran could be over within two to three weeks, with or without a deal.
Speaking at the White House on, Trump told reporters the US would be “leaving very soon,” saying the exit could come “within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three,” and that Iran does not need to make a deal as a condition for the conflict to wind down.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the sentiment, saying Washington is achieving its war objectives ahead of schedule and that “we can see the finish line.”
Iran’s foreign minister, however, said that Tehran is prepared for at least six months of war and is not in direct negotiations with Washington, contradicting Trump’s claims.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said separately that his country is ready to stop fighting, provided it receives assurances it will not be attacked again.
Trump is scheduled to address the nation on Wednesday at 9 p.m. Eastern Time to provide what the White House described as an important update on Iran.
Rubio also signalled that Washington will need to re-examine its relationship with NATO once the conflict concludes, pointing to allied reluctance to support the US-led campaign.
“Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the Gulf continued on Wednesday, targeting critical infrastructure.
In Kuwait, authorities confirmed that Kuwait International Airport was targeted in a drone attack that struck fuel storage tanks and triggered a fire.
No casualties were reported, and emergency teams were deployed to bring the blaze under control.
In Bahrain, the interior ministry said civil defence teams were dispatched to extinguish a fire at a business facility, which broke out following Iranian aggression.
In Saudi Arabia, the defence ministry announced the interception and destruction of two drones in recent hours, with no casualties or major damage reported.
In the UAE, a Bangladeshi national was killed after shrapnel from an intercepted drone struck a farm in Fujairah’s Al Riffa area on Wednesday morning.
Emergency response teams were deployed to the scene. Meanwhile, maritime security concerns also grew off Qatar’s coast.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that a tanker was struck by two projectiles about 17 nautical miles north of Ras Laffan industrial hub.
One projectile caused a fire that has since been extinguished, while another remained unexploded in the vessel’s engine room.
The crew were reported safe, and no environmental impact was recorded.
Ship refuelling at Fujairah, one of the world’s largest marine fuel hubs, has been disrupted following damage to storage infrastructure from drone debris, with bunker terminals suspending barge loading operations.
Some deliveries remain on hold as suppliers and shippers await clarity on the situation, while demand at alternative bunkering hubs including Singapore is expected to rise.
The fatality brings the total death toll in the UAE since the start of the US-Israel-Iran war to 12, most of them caused by falling debris from interceptions.
