Trump says Iran 'can't hold out,' predicts war ends after election as UN watchdog targets regime

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President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the U.S. is winning its conflict with Iran and suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz after himself, declaring, “I should get something out of it — the Trump Strait.”

Trump also claimed the U.S. controls the waterway and acknowledged that Iranian leaders likely would not appreciate the name change.

“Now, we'll win it. We're winning it,” Trump said of the conflict. “We control the Hormuz Strait," he said at a keynote address at the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas.

“I should get something out of it — the Trump Strait,” he repeated, adding, “I'm sure the Iranian leadership will be thrilled with that. I'd like to tell you it was their idea. It was not their idea. I don't think they're too happy about it.”

Turning his focus to the Iranian regime and Trump said, “I don't think they're too happy about anything.”

“Their country is falling apart,” he added. “They've been the bully of the Middle East for 51 years, and they're not the bully anymore.”

Senior White House advisers have warned President Donald Trump that the war with Iran could persist for the remainder of his term, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

Citing U.S. officials, the outlet reported that key officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have privately advised the president that Tehran may continue resisting U.S. pressure, potentially extending the conflict beyond Inauguration Day in January 2029.

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, Trump said he was not actively seeking a deal with Iran, though he noted that negotiations remain possible.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday rejected claims by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the Houthis are a proxy force, insisting the Yemeni group operates autonomously.

“Ansarallah is an independent Yemeni actor that makes its own decisions; it takes orders from no one and acts as nobody’s proxy,” Esmaeil Baqaei said in a post on X.

The roots of instability in the region lie in U.S. military interventions and hegemonic policies, he said, adding that if Washington genuinely wanted peace, it would take one simple step and “end its malign and destabilizing interventions in our region.”

Rubio said Washington was tracking developments “very closely” after a major Houthi assault on southern Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that wounded 73 people.

“The Houthis, in many ways, are agents and proxies of the Iranians. I think behind some of this is clearly the Iranian hand,” Rubio said.

On Wednesday, the Houthis also launched attacks on Khamis Mushait, Abha and Jizan, Reuters reported, citing the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) showcased its midair refueling capabilities Wednesday as regional tensions mounted for U.S. forces in the Middle East.

"A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry radar plane topped off its fuel supply mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker high above the Middle East, extending the airborne platform's ability to direct military operations across vast expanses of land and sky," the command said in a post on X.

Tehran's leadership will continue its aggressive actions toward Washington until the regime is fully disrupted, former CENTCOM deputy commander Robert Harward said Wednesday on “America Reports.”

“They don't care because, at the end of the day, this is an existential threat to them,” Harward said as the conflict saw new strikes emerge Sept. 8 in the Gulf.

“They got to keep going till they're completely disrupted and depleted, because they know at the end of the day they're going to be held accountable not only by the U.S. but the Iranian people.

“So they're facing an existential threat that they have to deal with in the only way they can.”

“We can hit anything at any time we want. The Iranians are a little more limited in this thing, but the real crux, then, it's going to be a battle of capacity,” he added.

On Tehran’s ongoing strategy, Harward said Washington always knew it was the government of Iran and “a regime that holds to the Islamic Revolution.”

“We’re going to have to see this through till you have a government in place that renounces the Islamic Revolution.

“That has to be the end state if you want long-term stability and security in the region," he added.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that the U.S. military will continue targeting Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for attacks on American warships and in a bid to squeeze Tehran economically.

His remarks came after new attacks in the Gulf Tuesday night.

“At the end of the day, they continue to fire on naval ships,” Rubio told reporters in Ecuador.

“And when they fire on our naval ships, they pay a price in tankers.They lose a lot of tankers,” he said

“They don't hit our ships, but they lose five tankers. They lost five more last night. Four were damaged, one was sunk. So they'll continue to pay a price for that, ‘Rubio added before stating that in the meantime the U.S. is going to "continue to strangle them economically.”

Israel’s move to advance construction in the strategically significant E1 area between Ma’ale Adumim on the West Bank and Jerusalem has triggered growing backlash, with Britain announcing sanctions and 11 other countries threatening or considering trade restrictions on Jewish communities in the disputed area.

The Netanyahu government last month announced tenders for the first 1,400 of roughly 3,400 housing units in E1, a 4.6-square-mile area that would expand the built-up connection between Ma’ale Adumim, a city of about 40,000 people in the Judean Desert, and the Israeli capital.

European governments have strongly opposed the move, with Britain’s left-wing ruling party announcing sanctions Tuesday.U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced a ban on products from Judea and Samaria, saying the government in London "believes the unlawfulness of the occupation should be reflected in the economic relationship we choose to have with the occupied territories."

The foreign ministers of 11 additional countries — Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden — said Tuesday in a joint statement they intend to impose or are actively considering trade restrictions on goods from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.

Doron Spielman, international spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, told Fox News Digital the E1 project has been underway for years and is located in Area C of the West Bank, which, according to the Oslo Accords, is under full Israeli security and civilian control.

This is an excerpt from a report by Fox News Digital's Amelie Botbol.

Iran’s underground Pickaxe Mountain facility, a suspected nuclear site buried beneath granite, has seen a flurry of construction this year amid the war with the U.S., according to a new report.

“There is a clear surge in construction activity in 2026 that corresponds to the raising and hardening of the portal accesses, paving of the internal road network, reinforcement around access areas, and the flattening and removal of excavation spoil,” the Center for Strategic and International Studies said, citing an analysis of new satellite imagery.

President Donald Trump said July 21 that the U.S. would target the Pickaxe Mountain facility, telling reporters in the Oval Office, "We'll be hitting that area pretty soon, and very heavily."

Trump's remarks also came amid reports that Iran may have moved nuclear centrifuges to the fortified site near Natanz.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he would speak with Israeli leadership after the U.K. announced plans to sanction trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, joining with other nations, including France and Canada.

 “I’ve just seen it, and I’ll be speaking to Israel,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews reacting to the policy move announced by U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Milliband on Sept. 8.

“I’ll be speaking to them, and I’ll find out what ... what’s their thinking. I understand, you know, I understand exactly what’s going on.

“But I want to find out why all of a sudden that has happened,” he said.

The measures prompted a sharp response from Israel, including an order to close the British Embassy in Jerusalem.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday the Iran war could end as soon as the election is over while stating Tehran is running out of options as U.S. attacks continue.

“We've knocked out nine of their ships. I would say that the attacks are caused by us.

“You're going to see you're going to see a lot more. We've taken out about nine of their tankers," he said.

“I think the war is going to end immediately after the election,” Trump told reporters before saying Iran “can't hold out any longer.”

“All they want is a nuclear weapon. And if they had a nuclear weapon, the whole world is in deep trouble,” Trump added.

Asked about the possibility of a nuclear deal with Iran, Trump said he was hoping for “much more than a nuclear deal.”

“There's a lot more than nuclear. We're going to have nuclear. That's 99.9, but there's going to be a lot of other things on the table that wouldn't have been on the table three months ago,” Trump said.

“We're so far down the line, they have very little country left right now, so we're not looking for it.

“A negotiation could possibly happen, but it's not something we're looking at,” the president added.

Iran on Wednesday condemned the International Atomic Energy Agency’s decision to report Tehran to the U.N. Security Council over violations of its nuclear nonproliferation obligations, including failing to cooperate over its undeclared nuclear activities.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the U.S. and other Western countries were using disruptions caused by strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites to justify the resolution.

“They attack Iran’s safeguarded nuclear facilities, disrupt the normal verification process, and then use that very disruption as a pretext for a resolution at the Board of Governors,” Gharibabadi said in a post shared on X.

“You can neither compensate for the failure of your policies and actions with such manoeuvres, nor achieve anything at the Security Council,” he added.

Iran’s mission to international organizations in Vienna warned on X that the resolution would facilitate the “further erosion and ultimate collapse of the non-proliferation regime as a whole.”

The IAEA’s 35-member board approved the U.S.-, British-, French- and German-backed resolution 23-3, with eight abstentions. China, Russia and Niger voted against it.

The move could lead to further U.N. action, though Russia and China could use their vetoes to block any sanctions. 

The United Nation’s atomic watchdog reported Iran to the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday for the first time in 20 years over Tehran’s failure to cooperate with an investigation into its nuclear activities.

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) 35-member board voted 23-3 in favor of the resolution, which was introduced by the United States, Britain, France and Germany. Eight countries abstained.

The move stems from a yearslong IAEA investigation into uranium traces inspectors discovered at undeclared sites in Iran. The agency’s board formally found Iran in violation of its nonproliferation obligations in June 2025 over Tehran’s lack of cooperation with the probe.

Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful and that it is not pursuing nuclear weapons.

The IAEA, however, has been unable to verify the status of Tehran’s stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium since the U.S. bombed several of Iran’s key nuclear enrichment sites in June.

The referral puts the issue before the Security Council, which has the power to take further action, including imposing sanctions or freezing assets. However, punitive U.N. measures could face opposition from Russia and China, which voted against the IAEA resolution and hold veto power on the Security Council.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Several merchant vessels were struck and disabled during military activity in Middle East waters overnight, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.

UKMTO said the incidents involved ships in the northern Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman that were subjected to what it described as “disabling fire” from military forces. The agency said it could not confirm whether there were any casualties or environmental damage.

UKMTO separately reported an incident Wednesday about 24 nautical miles from Port Rashid in the United Arab Emirates, where a vessel was seen listing while at anchor.

The agency said the ship may have taken on water after being struck by an unknown projectile.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the incidents.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said victory over Iran is “very close,” declaring on the eve of Rosh Hashanah that bringing down Tehran’s regime remains the country’s “main task.”

“The main task is to defeat the terrorist regime in Iran. We are very close to it,” Netanyahu said in a video message posted to X during a visit to Mount Hermon in Syria. “We know that the entire axis will ultimately fall. We are committed to doing this, and we will do it.”

Netanyahu visited the area alongside Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai, receiving a briefing on Israeli military operations in the region.

Standing at an IDF outpost overlooking Syria, Netanyahu also touted Israel’s control of territory in the area and vowed that the country would not allow what he called a “terrorist army” to establish itself along Israel’s border.

The prime minister concluded by wishing Israelis and the country’s soldiers a happy new year ahead of Rosh Hashanah.

The Trump administration imposed sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines as part of a broader effort to increase economic pressure on Tehran, the Treasury Department announced on Tuesday.

The sanctions are part of a sweeping action targeting 36 entities and individuals tied to Iran’s aviation sector, “which the regime uses to move weapons, personnel and illicit cargo,” the department said.

The action also targets what Treasury called “covert front companies, foreign intermediaries and deceptive transshipment routes” that have helped Iran obtain U.S.-made aircraft and technology.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures were intended to cut off financial support for the Iranian government and warned foreign companies against doing business with sanctioned Iranian airlines.

“Let this be a warning to anyone doing business with Iran’s remaining airlines, all of which we sanctioned today: You are at risk of being cut off from the global financial system,” Bessent said.

Treasury also suspended authorizations that had allowed certain flights over Iran and permitted non-U.S. airlines to fly some U.S.-origin or U.S.-controlled commercial aircraft into the country.

The measures are the latest under the administration’s “Operation Economic Outcast,” a campaign aimed at further isolating Tehran and cutting off sources of revenue that Washington says support the Iranian government and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

As the summer travel season came to a close, Americans faced the most expensive Labor Day at the pump on record, extending the squeeze on household budgets for millions who hit the road over the holiday weekend.

AAA estimated that nearly 40 million Americans would drive over the holiday, paying unprecedented prices for gasoline.

The national average for regular gasoline reached $4.15 per gallon on Tuesday, up about 5 cents from the previous week and nearly 96 cents higher than a year earlier. The price shattered the previous Labor Day record of $3.82, set in 2012, and marked the first time the national average topped $4 during the holiday weekend.

The spike came despite a seasonal trend that typically brings some relief after Labor Day, when summer travel winds down and gasoline demand eases. This year, however, elevated crude oil prices tied to the Iran conflict offset that typical decline.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias.

Iran-backed Houthis claimed Wednesday that Saudi-backed forces launched 32 airstrikes across four provinces in Yemen overnight, as fighting between the two sides intensifies and threatens to further disrupt energy markets and shipping in the region.

Houthi spokesman Nasruddin Amer said the strikes targeted areas in Taiz, Hodeida, Jawf and Marib. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the strikes, though a source in Pakistan — which signed a mutual defense pact with Riyadh last month — told Reuters that Saudi Arabia had carried out retaliatory strikes in Yemen.

The reported retaliation came after the Houthis attacked four Saudi cities Tuesday, sparking massive fires at oil facilities that were visible from space. Saudi authorities said 73 people were wounded.

The Saudi-backed government in southern Yemen has also launched a multipronged offensive against Houthi-controlled territory, while the Houthis have threatened Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.

The escalating fighting has shattered a four-year truce in Yemen’s civil war and added new uncertainty for global energy markets already grappling with disruptions in the Middle East.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it captured an unmanned U.S. submarine drone near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, while the Pentagon said the unmanned vessel had malfunctioned more than a day earlier.

Iranian state media identified the drone as a Dive-LD, a 19-foot autonomous underwater vehicle made by California defense company Anduril, Reuters reported.

The vessel can be used for missions including mapping the seafloor, gathering intelligence and inspecting underwater infrastructure, the company has said.

A Pentagon spokesperson told Reuters the drone had been surveying regional waters when it "malfunctioned more than a day ago."

“The defective drone was an older model that neither collected sensitive data nor carried any classified sonar or radar equipment," the spokesperson said.

Anduril confirmed the loss of a Dive-LD to the outlet but said the system was designed to operate in dangerous environments where losing a vehicle is an “expected possibility.”

Oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel Wednesday for the first time in nearly six weeks as escalating attacks on tankers and energy facilities in the Middle East raised fears of further disruptions to global supplies.

Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, rose above $100 a barrel in early trading, while the U.S. benchmark climbed above $95.

The jump came after the U.S. military struck five Iranian oil tankers in response to attempted missile attacks on a U.S. Navy warship. Iran-backed Houthi rebels have also attacked Saudi energy facilities, setting oil installations ablaze.

The fighting has already severely restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway that handled about one-fifth of the world's oil supply before the war.

Higher crude prices can eventually hit consumers through more expensive gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. They can also push up transportation costs for goods ranging from fresh food to furniture and appliances.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

U.S. Central Command on Wednesday rejected claims by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that it struck two U.S. Navy destroyers operating in the Middle East, saying no American warship was hit.

“This is completely FALSE,” CENTCOM said in a post on X responding to the Iranian claim.

“No U.S. Navy warship has been struck; all IRGC attempted attacks failed,” CENTCOM said.

The IRGC claimed Wednesday that it attacked 10 ships — including two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers — attempting to cross what it called a “prohibited and unsafe” area of the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

CENTCOM also said U.S. forces have destroyed 10 Iranian tankers over the past week, describing the vessels as part of a multibillion-dollar “shadow network” used to fund the IRGC.

“Iran cannot defend them,” CENTCOM said.

The statement comes amid a renewed surge in attacks between U.S. and Iranian forces. Iran has repeatedly attempted to target U.S. warships with ballistic missiles in recent days, while American forces have responded by striking Iranian oil tankers.

Iran fired ballistic missiles toward a base used by U.S. forces in Jordan on Wednesday, with an American official telling Fox News the attack was ineffective and all U.S. personnel in the country were accounted for.

“Iran’s response was ineffective in face of integrated air and missile defenses. Iran fired missiles toward Jordan. American forces have 100% accountability at all locations in Jordan,” the U.S. official told Fox News.

Jordan’s military said its air defenses intercepted 18 of 20 ballistic missiles launched toward its territory, according to The Associated Press. The remaining two missiles fell in unpopulated areas, and no casualties were reported.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted a base used by U.S. forces near Al Azraq, according to Reuters, citing a statement carried by Iranian state media. The IRGC claimed the missiles caused heavy damage, though that assertion conflicts with the assessments from U.S. and Jordanian officials.

The IRGC also claimed Wednesday that it attacked 10 ships — including two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers — attempting to cross what it called a “prohibited and unsafe” area of the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

The attack came after the U.S. military said it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers Tuesday in response to Iranian attempts to strike a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles over the previous two days.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Tuesday that attacks on American warships would bring further consequences for Tehran.

“Iran continues to try to hit U.S. naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they’re going to lose tankers,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Colombia.

Fox News Digital's Emma Bussey contributed to this report.