Trump says Iran war could be over soon, but oil disruption would trigger harsher U.S. strikes
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the war against Iran could be short-lived, but he left open the possibility of an escalation in fighting if global oil supplies are disrupted by the Islamic Republic, which chose a new hard-line supreme leader.
“We took a little excursion” to the Middle East “to get rid of some evil. And, I think you will see it is going to be a short-term excursion”, Mr. Trump told Republican lawmakers at his golf club near Miami.
Hours later, Mr. Trump posted on social media: “If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.” The war has choked off major supplies of oil and gas to world markets and sent fuel prices rising across the U.S. The fighting has also led foreigners to flee from business hubs and prompted millions to seek shelter as bombs hit military bases, government buildings, oil and water installations, hotels and at least one school.
-AP
