US President Donald Trump and his secretary of state warned that Washington could yet ramp up its assault on Iran further, indicating no immediate end in sight for the sudden conflict.
The US administration has given contradictory statements about its Iran endgame, but offered no sign of relenting: Additional troops were heading to the Middle East, the top US general said, and the war could last several weeks, Trump noted, telling CNN that while his forces were “ahead of schedule,” a “big wave” was coming.
Israel, meanwhile, launched a ground invasion of Lebanon and again hit Tehran. A prolonged war could cause a “substantial spike” in inflation, the European Central Bank’s chief economist told the Financial Times.