USA Trump holds out the prospect of an early end to the Iran war
In the midst of fierce Israeli attacks on Iran, US President Donald Trump has surprisingly brought an early end to the war into play.
10.03.2026, 05:31
10.03.2026, 05:32
SDA
"I think the war is pretty much over. They have no navy, no communication systems, they have no air force," the US broadcaster CBS News quoted him as saying after a telephone interview. The war is "way ahead of schedule." The main risk is over. However, the US President did not commit to a specific date.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards reacted sharply to Trump's comments. "We are the ones who will decide the end of the war," they said in a statement published by the Tasnim news agency. "The conditions on the battlefield and the end of the war are in the hands of the Islamic Republic."
Stock markets up after Trump statement on Iran war
The stock markets, on the other hand, welcomed Trump's statements. Japan's leading index, the Nikkei 225, rose by around three percent at the start. South Korea's leading index, the Kospi, started the trading day with a 5.5 percent gain. In China, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose by 1.3 percent and the CSI 300 index, which tracks the most important shares in mainland China, was up slightly by 0.8 percent at the start.
The prospect of an imminent end to the war also eased tensions on the energy market: the price of Brent crude oil fell to USD 89.20 per barrel (159 liters) - a good USD 30 less than on Monday night.
Israel and the USA have been repeatedly attacking Iran since the end of February. After the start of the US offensive, Trump recently said that he expected the war to last four to five weeks. At the end of last week, government spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt then stated a period of four to six weeks.
Israeli air force flies heavy attacks on Iran
Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced that it had targeted military targets in Iran in two major waves of attacks. In the capital Tehran, a command center of the Al-Kuds Brigades of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and in Isfahan a site for the production and storage of weapons were hit, according to an army statement.
Israel and the USA justify the war with the threat posed by Iran's missile and nuclear program. Iran's armed forces have attacked targets in several countries in the region in response to the airstrikes.
Trump warns Iran against closing the Strait of Hormuz
Trump warned Iran against disrupting the global oil supply. The Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, which is important for shipping and energy supplies, must remain open, said the US President. He was thinking about "taking it over". What he meant by this remained open. He had previously announced that the US Navy could escort passing ships if necessary.
Since the beginning of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran's counter-attacks, hardly any ships have passed through the strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. In peacetime, around a fifth of the world's oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz every day. Iran rejects reports of a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Woman killed in Iranian attack in Bahrain
According to information from the Gulf state, a 29-year-old woman was killed in an Iranian attack on Bahrain. Eight other people were injured in the attack on a residential building in the capital Manama, according to the Interior Ministry. Iran's President Massud Peseschkian had recently held out the prospect of an end to air strikes on neighboring regional countries if they did not launch attacks on Iran. Nevertheless, several Gulf states continued to report missile and drone attacks from Iran.
Syria reports shelling by Hezbollahwe
The Syrian armed forces reported an artillery attack by the Lebanese Hezbollah militia on a military base near the border. The shells fell not far from the village of Serghaya, northwest of the capital Damascus, the state news agency Sana reported, citing the military leadership. The ousted government of Syria's long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad was a close ally of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah. The new leadership of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa is trying to prevent the influence of Iran - another important ally of Assad - in the country.
Mass rallies for new leader Khamenei in Iran
According to state media reports, hundreds of thousands of people in Iran took part in organized solidarity rallies for the new revolutionary leader Modschtaba Khamenei. In Tehran, people expressed their loyalty to the supreme leader despite the threat of missile attacks from the USA and Israel. State television footage showed motorcades and people with Iranian flags. According to state media, the demonstrators declared their intention to continue the conflict together with the new leader until the "final victory".
