Trump faces pressure from advisers to end war with Iran - WSJ

On Monday, speaking to journalists, Trump characterized the military mission as largely achieving its goals. He did not give a clear timeline for ending the war against Iran but said the mission would end very soon.

Some Trump administration officials said that as long as Tehran continues to attack countries in the region, and as long as Israel still wants to strike Iranian targets, the US is unlikely to be able to exit the war easily.

A source also says that Trump will not stop fighting until he can declare a convincing victory, especially when the US has a military advantage.

Several other people familiar with Trump's way of thinking said he sometimes wondered why Tehran does not surrender, despite the ongoing joint US-Israel operation.

Why is Trump being urged to end the war

WSJ notes that in recent days, Trump has made various contradictory statements regarding the war.

For example, last week he said he was seeking the unconditional surrender of Iran, and also refused to rule out the possibility of sending ground troops to Iran. At the same time, in an interview with the NYT, he said he was far from issuing such an order.

On Monday, Trump spoke of a possible quick end to the war, but added that the US could go further, emphasizing that it would go further.

In addition, the president publicly hinted and told aides in private conversations that he would support the killing of the younger Khamenei (Iran's new supreme leader) if he turned out to be unwilling to comply with US demands.

All these comments from Trump came against the backdrop of a sharp rise and then fall in oil prices, which intensified the already existing concern among Trump's allies about the economic costs and political consequences of the war.

Meanwhile, sources say that in recent days, some of Trump's advisors have urged him to formulate a plan for the US to exit the war and to demonstrate that the military has largely achieved its goals.

And although many of the president's conservative electorate still support the initial operation, some advisors have privately expressed concerns that a prolonged war could undermine this support.

According to sources, Trump has been briefed on the results of some polls regarding the war, which showed that the majority of Americans oppose the war.

WSJ also learned that in recent days, Trump's team has concluded that a more aggressive communication plan is needed to convince the public of the necessity of the war, as many consumers are facing rising gasoline prices.

WSJ notes that some of the president's advisors watched with alarm as oil prices soared to over $100 per barrel. In addition, they received calls from a number of Republicans who were concerned about this against the backdrop of the midterm congressional elections.

Operation may be coming to an end

Tonight, US President Donald Trump stated that the operation of the US and Israel against Iran is a short-term action. According to him, victory has largely already been achieved.

"We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough. We go forward, more determined than ever to achieve ultimate victory that will end this long running danger once and for all," he emphasized.

Incidentally, to stabilize the market after the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the US has allowed at least India to temporarily purchase Russian oil. Over the weekend, Washington said that the policy of sanctions against the Russian Federation has not changed, but further relaxations regarding oil may still be possible.

Tonight, Trump effectively confirmed that he may lift some sanctions on Russia permanently. According to him, the US is currently easing sanctions against some countries, which may not have to be reimposed.