US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday signaled a possible longer time frame for the conflict than has previously been floated by the administration, saying it could last eight weeks
As the Iran conflict enters the sixth day, US President Donald Trump has asserted that he has “no time limit” in mind as to when the situation would improve in West Asia.
Talking to Politico, Trump said, “I have no time limits on anything. I want to get it done.” The president has given different timelines of the war that has already stretched to a week.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday signaled a possible longer time frame for the conflict than has previously been floated by the administration, saying it could last eight weeks but that the US has the munitions and the equipment to beat Iran in a war of attrition. He declined to set a specific time range, saying the specific duration of the war would depend on how it unfolds.
“You can say four weeks, but it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three,” Hegseth said. “Ultimately, we set the pace and the tempo. The enemy is off balance, and we’re going to keep them off balance.”
Meanwhile, EU and Gulf ministers called following crisis talks for Iran to immediately end “indiscriminate” attacks across the region in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks, warning global security was at stake.
The foreign ministers met by video link as Iran stepped up attacks on countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council – with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman all now targeted.
“The ministers strongly condemned the unjustifiable Iranian attacks against the GCC countries which threaten regional and global security and called on Iran to cease its attacks immediately,” said a joint statement issued afterwards.
Addressing the fallout of “indiscriminate” Iranian attacks, they also “affirmed that the GCC states have the right to take all necessary measures” to defend themselves.
As Iranian missiles and drones have slammed Gulf states’ cities and infrastructure, upending relations with Tehran, the neighbours have been put on a potential course for greater confrontation.
With inputs from agencies
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