President Donald Trump is set to address the nation on the war in Iran at 8 p.m. CT on Wednesday.
The president is expected to highlight what he believes is progress in the conflict and reiterate his timeline of two to three weeks to complete the operation. He is also likely to restate key objectives outlined since the war began on Feb. 28.
Those goals include preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, degrading its missile capabilities and its ability to produce more, and stopping the regime from arming, funding and directing terrorist organizations.
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So far, the campaign has been conducted largely through airstrikes, supported by U.S. warships in the region.
While thousands of Marines have been deployed to the region, ground troops have not been used. However, Trump has not ruled out that option, an official with knowledge of the president's thinking told Scripps News.
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Ahead of the address, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country is not the aggressor in the conflict and has acted in self-defense, blaming Israel for what he called “manufacturing an Iranian threat.”
He also appeared to try and appeal directly to many of Trump’s supporters, asking how the war prioritizes America First policies.
The Iranian leader ended his message by saying the country has “outlasted many aggressors,” suggesting the conflict may not end on the timeline Trump has outlined.
Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed in the conflict, and hundreds more have been injured, though the military says most have returned to duty. Iranian officials say nearly 2,000 people have been killed in the country. Dozens of casualties have also been reported in Israel and across the Gulf states.
