Trump says Iran war is 'effectively over' militarily with further strikes unlikely

What the report says

Donald Trump said the conflict with Iran is “effectively over” militarily and suggested further US strikes were unlikely, while also warning that Washington was “locked and loaded” if conditions in the Middle East change. The comments were made at the White House briefing room on Monday and reflected the administration’s current effort to keep what Trump described as the status quo.

BBC World News reported that Trump credited the position in part to pressure from neighbouring states and said US allies in the Gulf need protection. He also indicated that the naval blockade on Iranian ports was helping security in the region. At the same time, he declined to formally declare the war over, saying some allies could still be vulnerable to Iranian attacks.

The remarks came after a period of political strain for Trump’s team following midterm losses, with senior Republicans reportedly blaming the war for some of the backlash. The article also noted that Trump had recently told CBS’s 60 Minutes he did not see a reason to escalate further, and that he discussed negotiations with Qatar’s prime minister earlier on Monday.

The broader backdrop is a conflict that BBC said began after joint US-Israeli strikes in February and has been managed largely through indirect diplomacy. For now, the White House appears to be signaling restraint, even as it keeps military options open if the situation worsens.