Chicago – March 11, 2026
US President Donald Trump has declared that the United States has “won” the war with Iran, even as large-scale military operations continue across the region.
Speaking at a rally in Kentucky on Wednesday, Trump said the outcome of the conflict was effectively decided “in the first hour,” claiming Iran “didn’t expect anything like this” from US forces. He praised Operation Epic Fury as having “virtually destroyed” Iran’s military infrastructure over the past 11 days, while vowing that American troops would not leave “until that job is finished.”
Trump’s victory claims come despite ongoing fighting, including continued US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets and regional escalation involving proxy groups.
US officials say the campaign has severely degraded Iran’s missile and naval capabilities, but the administration has not presented clear evidence that Tehran’s capacity or intent to retaliate has been fully neutralized. Critics warn that Trump’s rhetoric risks obscuring the humanitarian toll and the uncertain path to a political endgame.
