Is the Iran war coming to an end? Here's what President Donald Trump hinted

President Donald Trump on Friday said he was considering winding down military operations against Iran as the United States US temporarily eased sanctions on Iranian oil shipments to ease a global supply crisis news agency AFP reportedThe announcement came as Iran launched a fresh wave of drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and Israel following claims by supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei that Tehran had dealt a dizzying blow to its enemiesTrump in a post on Truth Social said the US was getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East Analysts noted this as the clearest sign yet that the US may be preparing to end hostilities that began on February 28 AFP reportedWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a post on X shortly after Trumprsquos message said The President and the Pentagon predicted it would take approximately 4ndash6 weeks to achieve this mission Tomorrow marks week 3 mdash and the US Armed Forces are doing an exceptional job Day by day the Iranian Regime is being crippled and their ability to threaten the United States and our allies is being significantly weakenedSince Day One of Operation Epic Fury President Trump clearly outlined the US Militaryrsquos objectives to end the threat of the Iranian terrorist regime The President and the Pentagon predicted it would take approximately 46 weeks to achieve this mission Tomorrow marks weekhellip pictwittercomA5F8UTxpPZmdash Karoline Leavitt PressSec March 20 2026Amid mounting global concern over oil prices the US Treasury announced a temporary lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil already loaded onto vessels The authorisation valid through April 19 permits the delivery and sale of Iranian crude and petroleum products loaded before March 20 AFP reportedBy temporarily unlocking this existing supply for the world the United States will quickly bring approximately 140 million barrels of oil to global markets expanding worldwide energy availability and helping relieve temporary supply pressures caused by Iran Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saidWest Asia conflict Trump insists on winning not truceIranrsquos de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz through which about 20 per cent of the worldrsquos oil and gas normally flows and repeated attacks on regional energy infrastructure have pushed crude prices higher Brent crude rose 326 per cent on Friday to USD 11219 a barrelGlobal stock markets also fell sharply amid fears of prolonged supply disruptions affecting the economyMeanwhile fresh explosions hit Tehran while Israel accused Iran of striking holy sites in Jerusalem including the Old City near AlAqsa Mosque the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Saudi Arabia reported intercepting over 20 Iranian drones early Saturday while Israel said a new wave of missiles was fired from IranIranian strikes continued against energy infrastructure in the Gulf Drone attacks hit Kuwaitrsquos Mina AlAhmadi refinery on Friday causing a fire that was quickly controlled a day after a direct hit on Qatarrsquos Ras Laffan natural gas facilityIn response Israeli forces launched strikes on Beirut early Saturday targeting the Iranbacked Hezbollah group urging residents of some areas to evacuate Turkey condemned Israeli attacks on Syrian army positions in southern Syria calling them a dangerous escalation Syria has largely avoided direct involvement in the regional conflictTrump told reporters at the White House that he was not seeking a truce with IranUS President warns other nations to secure Strait of HormuzI think we have won I donrsquot want to do a ceasefire You know you donrsquot do a ceasefire when yoursquore literally obliterating the other side he saidAfter criticising North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO allies as cowards Trump added that other nations would need to secure the Strait of HormuzThe Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed as necessary by other nations who use it mdash the United States does not If asked we will help these countries in their Hormuz efforts but it shouldnrsquot be necessary once Iranrsquos threat is eradicated he statedTrump said Washington sought dialogue with Iran but found nobody to talk to after the killing of Iranrsquos former supreme leader and other top officials Khamenei Iranrsquos new supreme leader has not appeared in public since succeeding his father Ali KhameneiIn a Nowruz statement Khamenei claimed Iranians had dealt him the enemy a dizzying blow so that he now starts uttering contradictory words and nonsense adding At the moment due to the particular unity that has been created between you our compatriotshellip the enemy has been defeatedWhile Trump has ruled out deploying ground troops The Wall Street Journal reported that 2200ndash2500 additional US Marines are being sent to the region The president did not confirm Axios reports that he might consider occupying or blockading Iranrsquos Kharg Island oil hub US strikes have totally obliterated military targets on the island according to Trump without targeting oil infrastructureWith AFP inputs