By Seun Ibiyemi
Donald Trump has said the ongoing armed conflict between the United States and Iran could last up to four weeks, as fighting intensifies and casualties continue to mount on both sides.
In a telephone interview with the Daily Mail on Sunday, Trump said the timeline had been anticipated from the beginning of the military campaign.
“From the outset, it was assumed that it would take about four weeks,” the U.S. president said. “It’s a big country; it’ll take four weeks or less.”
The remarks come amid reports that three U.S. soldiers have been killed and five others seriously injured in the military operation against Iran. Trump described the fallen troops as “great people,” while acknowledging the risks involved in the campaign.
“And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. Could happen continuously – it could happen again,” he added.
Iran has launched counterattacks targeting U.S. military bases in the Gulf region and other strategic locations, further escalating tensions across the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli military, Eyal Zamir, offered a similar assessment of the conflict’s duration.
Speaking late Sunday, he said Israel had recorded “significant achievements” in Iran during the first 48 hours of fighting but cautioned that “many more days of fighting lie ahead.”
The developments signal a protracted confrontation, with regional and global observers closely monitoring the evolving situation.
