You save a lot of lives. Whether it's on the other side or not, you save a lot of lives.
Trump told Fox News a deal with Iran is 'very close' but threatened military action if negotiations fail, citing humanitarian concerns and economic benefits like opening the Strait of Hormuz. Pentagon chief Hegseth confirmed US military readiness to resume attacks on Iran if needed, while Israel expanded operations in Lebanon across the Litani River during negotiations.
- War began February 28, 2026; thousands killed in Iran and Lebanon
- Trump claims deal is 'very close' but threatens military action if talks fail
- Israel expanded operations across the Litani River in Lebanon during negotiations
- Pentagon chief confirmed U.S. readiness to resume attacks if needed
- Iran claims it destroyed an American MQ-1 drone in its territorial waters
Trump claims Iran negotiations are near conclusion with potential military action as fallback, while US and Israeli forces intensify operations in the region despite ongoing talks.
Donald Trump sat down with Fox News this week and painted a picture of imminent victory. The negotiations with Iran over ending the war are, he said, very close to producing "a very good deal." But he added a sharp caveat: if talks stall, the United States is prepared to finish the job militarily, and it would be faster. The contradiction was deliberate. Trump framed the choice not as war versus peace, but as two paths to the same outcome—one slower and diplomatic, one swift and destructive. He cited humanitarian reasoning for preferring the first path. "You save a lot of lives," he said. "Whether it's on the other side or not, you save a lot of lives."
The core of what Trump wants is straightforward. He demands ironclad assurance that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons. On that point, he said, the Iranians have already agreed. He also wants immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway that Iran has effectively closed, disrupting global energy markets and driving up prices worldwide. A signed deal, Trump suggested, would unlock it instantly. He compared the situation to past military operations, pointing to Venezuela as a one-day victory, and claimed the Iranian military is already essentially defeated. The message was clear: we are winning, and now we are negotiating from strength.
Yet Trump also acknowledged the talks are grinding slowly. "Very difficult negotiators. It takes a long time," he said. He expressed frustration with the pace—lower gas prices would follow a quick agreement, he noted—but then caught himself. Rush the process and you lose leverage. "If you're in a hurry, you won't make a good deal," he said. So the administration is proceeding with what he called deliberate patience, moving "slowly but surely" toward what he believes America wants. If that fails, he concluded, "we will end it in a different way."
On Saturday, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth reinforced the military threat. Speaking in Singapore, he said the United States is fully prepared to resume attacks on Iran if negotiations collapse. American weapons stockpiles are more than adequate, he said, both in the region and globally. The message was calibrated: we are ready, we are patient, but we are not bluffing. That same day, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had intercepted and destroyed an American MQ-1 drone that entered Iranian territorial waters with hostile intent. The U.S. military did not comment on the incident.
Meanwhile, the ground situation is complicating the diplomatic picture. Israeli forces crossed the Litani River in Lebanon and expanded operations against Hezbollah targets north of that historic line, which has long served as a boundary for Israeli military activity in the country. The Lebanese National News Agency reported strikes across multiple southern towns. An Israeli drone attack wounded two Lebanese soldiers near the city of Nabatieh. Artillery fire erupted near the medieval fortress of Beaufort, prompting Lebanon's culture minister to warn of grave danger to the nation's historical heritage. Hezbollah responded by launching rockets toward northern Israel; the Israeli military said it intercepted most of them, though one landed on Israeli territory without causing casualties.
The war itself began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched operations against Iran. Thousands have been killed, primarily in Iran and Lebanon. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent shockwaves through the global economy, raising energy prices and disrupting supply chains worldwide. Now, as Trump signals a deal is near, the military escalation continues—Israeli forces pushing deeper into Lebanon, American weapons systems positioned and ready, Iranian defenses tested and tested again. The administration is betting it can negotiate from a position of overwhelming force. Whether that calculation holds depends on what happens in the coming weeks, when either a breakthrough agreement emerges or the shooting resumes in earnest.
Citas Notables
Slowly but surely, we are getting what we want. And if we don't get what we want, we will end it in a different way.— Donald Trump, in Fox News interview
Our capacity to resume attacks if necessary is more than adequate, both in the region and around the world.— Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, speaking in Singapore
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does Trump keep mentioning the humanitarian angle? That seems almost defensive.
Because the war has killed thousands of people and disrupted the global economy. He's trying to frame a deal as the merciful option, not just the strategic one. It softens the image of what's been a brutal campaign.
But Israel is expanding operations in Lebanon right now, during these talks. How does that help negotiations?
It doesn't, not obviously. It could be leverage—showing Iran that the military pressure will only increase if they don't sign. Or it could be a sign that the Israeli government isn't fully committed to the diplomatic track. Both things might be true at once.
What's the Strait of Hormuz and why does it matter so much?
It's the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. Most of the world's oil passes through it. Iran closed it, which spiked energy prices everywhere. Opening it again would be a massive economic win for Trump, especially before an election.
So the deal is really about three things: no nukes, open the strait, and claiming victory?
Essentially, yes. The nuclear guarantee is the stated red line. The strait is the economic prize. And victory is the political one—he needs to show he solved a crisis his administration created.
What happens if Iran says no?
Then the U.S. military is ready to resume attacks. The Pentagon chief made that clear. It's a credible threat because the infrastructure is already in place and the will appears to be there.
And if they say yes?
Then Trump gets to claim he achieved through negotiation what others said required endless war. The Strait opens, energy prices fall, and he moves on to the next crisis. But the agreement would have to hold, which is the hard part.