Trump says 'core strategic objectives' in Iran are 'nearing completion’

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States is nearing the completion of its military objectives in Iran.

"Tonight, I'm pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion," he said during an address to the nation on Operation Epic Fury.

In the past four weeks, Trump said US armed forces have delivered "swift, decisive, overwhelming victories."

"I've made clear from the beginning of Operation Epic Fury that we will continue until our objectives are fully achieved. Thanks to the progress we've made, I can say tonight that we are on track to complete all of America's military objectives shortly, very shortly.

"We're going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We're going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong," he said.

Regional tensions have escalated since Feb. 28, when the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran that has killed more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.

A total of 13 US service members have been killed and about 303 others have been injured since the operation began.

Trump also remembered the 13 American service members "who have laid down their lives in this fight."

"Now, we must honor them by completing the mission for which they gave their lives."

'We have not hit their oil'

In the meantime, Trump said that discussions with Iran are "ongoing."

The US is going to hit "each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard, and probably simultaneously," he warned if there is no deal.

"We have not hit their oil, even though that's the easiest target of all, because it would not give them even a small chance of survival or rebuilding. But we could hit it and it would be gone, and there's not a thing they could do about it," he said.

Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said the US imports "almost no oil" through the waterway, adding it "won't be taking any in the future. We don't need it. We haven't needed it."

"We've beaten and completely decimated Iran. They are decimated both militarily and economically and every other way. And the countries of the world that do receive oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage. They must cherish it. They must grab it and cherish it."

Trump suggested to countries that cannot get fuel either to buy oil from the US or "build up some delayed courage” and “go to the Strait and just take it.”

"Protect it, use it for yourselves. Iran has been essentially decimated. The hard part is done. So it should be easy. And in any event, when this conflict is over, the Strait will open up naturally. It will just open up naturally," he said.