Trump predicts the Iran war will end after November’s US midterms, while warning Tehran against activity at the Pickaxe Mountain site.
US President Donald Trump has predicted that the war with Iran will end shortly after November’s midterm elections, while warning Tehran against what he described as renewed activity at a heavily fortified nuclear site.
Trump also threatened to strike Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried Iranian facility near the damaged Natanz uranium enrichment complex.
The warning came as Iran said it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, following the United States’ sinking of five Iranian oil tankers in the latest escalation of the six months old conflict.
The renewed fighting has further disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, while Brent crude prices remained above $100 a barrel as concerns over global energy supplies persisted.
Trump said Tehran was attempting to influence the November elections, which will determine whether his Republican Party retains control of Congress.
“I expect the war to end immediately after the election because Iran can no longer sustain the conflict. They are desperate to influence the vote,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday.
The president has previously issued deadlines for an end to the conflict, although the fighting has continued.
The Wall Street Journal reported that senior White House officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have privately warned Trump that the conflict could continue for the remainder of his presidency, which ends in January 2029.
Reuters said it could not immediately verify the report.
Trump also warned Tehran over what he described as activity at Pickaxe Mountain, raising the possibility of another US strike against the site.
“We have noticed some activity at Pickaxe. I would urge Iran not to do anything provocative, because we would be forced to strike them very hard,” Trump said in a speech at the midterm Republican convention.
Trump has threatened to attack Pickaxe Mountain since at least mid-July.
The United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran in February, citing concerns over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Iran has maintained that its nuclear activities are intended for peaceful purposes.
The conflict has also disrupted movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route that previously carried about a fifth of global oil supplies.
Although Washington had recently pointed to progress in guiding tankers through the waterway, renewed fighting this month has slowed efforts to restore normal shipping.
Preliminary ship-tracking data showed that only seven vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday about half the 10-day average.
The conflict has also widened beyond Iran, with fighting involving Saudi Arabia and Iran backed Houthi forces in Yemen intensifying and raising further concerns over energy supplies across the Middle East.
The Saudi-led coalition said at least 73 people were wounded in recent Houthi attacks across four southern Saudi cities, including Khamis Mushait.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on an air base in Khamis Mushait and oil infrastructure in nearby cities, describing it as one of their largest attacks against Saudi Arabia since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in February.
Saudi civil defence authorities issued an all-clear on Thursday after another emergency alert was activated in Khamis Mushait, following multiple alerts in the city within 24 hours.
