Rubio: Iran Operation Nearing End in Weeks

The United States expects its military operation against Iran to wrap up within weeks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday. His comments came as fighting and threats of escalation continued across the region, adding pressure to energy markets and global shipping routes.

Rubio spoke after a G7 foreign ministers meeting in France and said Iran would come out of the conflict significantly weakened. The statement is a projection rather than a confirmed timeline, and other U.S. officials have offered differing estimates for how long the campaign could last.

Regional strikes and reported damage

Iran carried out an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia that injured 12 U.S. soldiers, the source material says. The strike involved at least one missile and multiple drones, and it damaged a building as well as several aerial refueling aircraft.

At the same time, Israel continued its offensive against Iran, including strikes on nuclear-related sites. The targets cited include the Shahid Khondab heavy-water complex and the Ardakan yellowcake production plant, with no casualties or contamination reported in the account provided.

What changed and what remains unclear

The new element in this update is Rubio’s expectation of a relatively short endgame measured in weeks, set against an environment where escalation risks remain active. The operation is described as having begun on February 28, but the source also notes that U.S. officials have not been consistent about the expected duration.

Iran, for its part, has taken a defiant posture and has denied that any negotiations with the United States are underway. That denial leaves uncertainty around diplomatic off-ramps and complicates market assumptions about how quickly tensions could ease.

Shipping disruption centers on the Strait of Hormuz

The conflict is also affecting maritime trade, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway is described as carrying roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments, making it a focal point for energy security and freight costs.

In the account provided, the IRGC said it turned back three container ships and barred passage for vessels linked to allies of Israel and the U.S. The situation has raised concerns about economic fallout and the possibility of additional military steps aimed at maintaining freedom of navigation.