CNN reported President Trump on Monday described the U.S. restart of strikes on
Iran as a "military conflict", denied it marked a new long-term phase and
refused to set a timeline for how long the fighting would continue. He said U.S.
actions have substantially degraded Iranian capabilities but that Iran would
continue to resist, and noted the campaign has already exceeded the
administration's initial four-to-six-week timetable. Trump offered no exit plan,
compared the operation's four-month duration to Vietnam's 19-year war, and said
he ultimately expects to negotiate with Iran while acknowledging a near-term
deal is unlikely.
