Trump says Iran operations likely to last 4-5 weeks but could go longer

Washington: US President Donald Trump says Iran operations are likely to last 4 to 5 weeks but that he’s prepared “to go far longer than that.”

Trump spoke Monday at a White House ceremony.

The war in the Middle East spiralled further Monday as Israel and the US pounded Iran. Tehran and its allies hit back against Israel, neighbouring Gulf states, and targets critical to the world’s production of oil and natural gas.

The intensity of the attacks, the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the lack of any apparent exit plan set the stage for a prolonged conflict with far-reaching consequences.

Safe havens in the Mideast like Dubai have seen incoming fire; hundreds of thousands of airline passengers are stranded around the globe; oil prices shot up; and US allies pledged to help stop Iranian missiles and drones.