President Donald Trump told leaders of the Group of Seven this week that Iran is nearing defeat, saying the regime is “about to surrender” as American and Israeli forces continue a large-scale military campaign targeting Iran’s military capabilities.

According to Axios, Trump made the comment during a virtual meeting with G7 leaders on Wednesday, where he highlighted the progress of the ongoing U.S.-led operation aimed at crippling Iran’s missile forces, naval assets, and defense industry.

“I got rid of a cancer that was threatening us all,” Trump reportedly told the leaders, referring to “Operation Epic Fury” and the strikes that have hammered Iranian military targets over the past two weeks.

Newsmax contacted the White House for a response to the report.

Officials from three G7 nations who were briefed on the call told Axios that Trump conveyed strong confidence that Iran’s ruling regime is close to collapsing following sustained attacks carried out by the United States and Israel.

At the same time, Trump indicated that the damage to Iran’s leadership structure may be so extensive that there may be no one left in a position to formally declare surrender.

“Nobody knows who is the leader, so there is no one that can announce surrender,” Trump reportedly said.

The comments came as the war moved into its second week, with U.S. officials reporting that Iran’s military capabilities have been significantly weakened.

Pentagon officials have stated that thousands of Iranian targets have been eliminated during the campaign, including missile launch sites, naval vessels, and facilities used to manufacture weapons.

Trump echoed those claims in a message posted on Truth Social, asserting that U.S. forces are “totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran.”

“Iran’s Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated,” Trump wrote. “We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time.”

Despite the optimistic assessment from Washington, Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, released his first public statement on Thursday, declaring that the country will continue the fight and warning that the conflict could widen.

Speaking in remarks broadcast on Iranian state television, Khamenei vowed retaliation for Iranian “martyrs” and hinted that the regime could expand its attacks in regions where the West is “highly vulnerable.”

Iran has also continued issuing warnings about potential disruptions to maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route that carries roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply.

Recent attacks on oil tankers in the area have already driven global oil prices above $100 per barrel, fueling concerns about broader economic consequences.

According to Axios, several G7 leaders urged Trump during the discussion to bring the conflict to a swift conclusion and ensure security in the Strait of Hormuz in order to stabilize global energy markets.

Trump reportedly told the leaders that conditions around the strait are improving and suggested that commercial shipping could soon return to normal operations.

Officials who participated in the call said Trump remained “ambiguous” about the exact timeline for ending the war but stressed the importance of continuing the campaign in order to “finish the job” and prevent Iran from rebuilding its military or nuclear programs.

{Matzav.com}