The secretary of state added that the Iran war ‘is not going to be a prolonged conflict.’
The United States can achieve all of its objectives in the Iran war without sending troops to the country to fight a ground war, and the military operation won’t be a prolonged one, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday.
Following a meeting with the Group of Seven nations, or G7, in France, Rubio spoke to reporters who asked about further U.S. troop deployment in the Middle East and whether the conflict would be drawn out.
“This is not going to be a prolonged conflict,” he said, adding that the Trump administration has “been as clear as you can possibly be” about the war’s objectives since the start. The U.S. military is going to “destroy their factories that make missiles, rockets, and drones,” the Iranian military’s navy, missile launchers, and air force, Rubio added.
“We are achieving all of those objectives, and we are ahead of schedule on most of them,” Rubio said. “And we can achieve them without any ground force.”
A source familiar with the Pentagon’s military plans told The Epoch Times earlier this week that that the military would be sending in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, prompting speculation of a possible ground assault.
Rubio characterized the deployment as one that is needed to address any unforeseen circumstances and one that would give the Trump administration “maximum opportunity to adjust to contingencies should they emerge.”
The remarks to reporters come as President Donald Trump extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that carries significant amounts of the world’s oil and gas, as he said that Tehran and Washington continue to hold talks. Some Iranian officials have said that no negotiations are underway.
Separately, Rubio told reporters that ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains open to shipping is likely to pose an “immediate challenge” even after the U.S. military operation ends. Iran may seek to set up a toll on the strait, he added, an act that he said could cause significant economic damage to many nations around the world and would be illegal.
The United States will seek international cooperation on a plan to keep the strait open after hostilities end, he said.
