President Donald Trump stated on Friday night that the United States might conduct another military operation against Iran, as the conflict approaches the eight-month mark and rising fuel prices impact the upcoming midterm elections, according to Reuters.
“We might organize a little ‘Epic Fury,'” Trump said during a rally in Florida, referencing the term used by the U.S. military to describe operations against Iran. The president did not provide further details.
Earlier that day, Trump mentioned that the U.S. could quickly end the war but questioned whether Washington should pursue a swift conclusion or allow the conflict to gradually subside.
In recent campaign speeches, Trump has presented varying objectives and timelines for the war against Iran, claiming it would soon end, “in one way or another.”
This month, he noted that the U.S. would not launch an attack against Iran before the November 3 elections, which will determine control of Congress, where Trump’s Republican Party holds a narrow majority in both chambers.
The U.S. and Israel conducted strikes against Iran on February 28, to which Iran responded with its own attacks on Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. bases. These American-Israeli strikes and subsequent Israeli attacks on Lebanon resulted in thousands of deaths and millions displaced.
The conflict has also led to rising oil and gas prices worldwide.
Tehran is preparing a broader retaliation should the war resume, according to Iranian officials.
Iran has developed detailed plans to target submarine communication cables in the Gulf in the event of renewed attacks from the U.S. and Israel, according to two senior Iranian security officials.
