President Donald Trump informed G7 leaders during a private virtual summit that Iran is “about to surrender,” according to officials briefed on the call. The President’s assessment of a nearing victory in Operation Epic Fury comes despite a defiant first message from Tehran’s new leadership and a fresh wave of attacks on global energy infrastructure.
During the Wednesday call, Trump reportedly characterized the U.S.-led military campaign as a decisive success. “I got rid of a cancer that was threatening us all,” Trump told allies, according to sources cited by Axios. He claimed the Iranian regime is in such “turmoil” that it lacks a functional hierarchy to even process a formal capitulation.
A Conflict of Narratives
While Trump projected confidence to international allies, the reality on the ground in the Middle East suggested a widening conflict. Hours after the G7 call, Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, issued his first public directive since succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a statement read by a state television anchor—amidst rumors the younger Khamenei was injured in early U.S. strikes—the leader vowed to avenge “martyrs” and urged the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used,” the statement read. “We will seek compensation from the enemy… until [revenge] is fully achieved.”
Economic Alarm and Shipping Strikes
The disconnect between the White House and the Persian Gulf has sparked alarm among G7 partners. Leaders from Japan, France, and Germany reportedly pressed Trump for a specific timeline to secure shipping lanes, as the “effective closure” of the Strait has sent Brent crude prices surging past $100 per barrel.
The volatility was underscored Thursday when two oil tankers—the Maltese-flagged Zefyros and the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu—were set ablaze off the coast of Iraq. Iraqi officials attributed the attacks to Iranian explosive-laden boats. At least one crew member was killed in the blasts, which occurred just as Trump was telling allies the situation in the region was “improving.”
Status of Operation Epic Fury
Since the launch of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026, the Pentagon has claimed significant degradation of Iran’s military:
- Missile Capabilities: The administration claims a 90% reduction in ballistic launches.
- Naval Force: Much of the Iranian Navy has been reported as “annihilated” by U.S. and Israeli strikes.
- Command Infrastructure: Strikes on Kharg Island and Tehran have targeted the regime’s core economic and political hubs.
Despite these tactical gains, the “ambiguous and noncommittal” nature of the administration’s exit strategy remains a point of contention. While G7 leaders urged a swift diplomatic conclusion, Trump insisted the U.S. needs to “finish the job.”
Global Fallout
The 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis represents the largest shock to global energy supplies in history. With shipping traffic through the waterway down nearly 70%, the International Energy Agency has warned of a prolonged global recession if the “surrender” Trump predicted does not materialize.
As of Tuesday, the U.S. Department of War remains on high alert, with plans to deploy an additional 5,000 troops to the region to counter the “new fronts” threatened by Mojtaba Khamenei.
