Vice President JD Vance said Thursday he could not provide a timeline for ending the Iran conflict or when gas prices might return to pre-war levels. He argued that responsibility for concluding the hostilities, which began six months ago with joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, rested with Iran.
Vance insisted the ongoing hostilities should not be called a "war" because "active combat operations" had concluded months prior. He claimed there was "no active shooting," even though U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fire for three consecutive days this week, including near the Strait of Hormuz.
The characterization suggests the White House is attempting to minimize public attention to the conflict two months ahead of critical midterm elections, even as the U.S. military continues actively targeting Iranian positions.
New casualty figures released by the Pentagon on Thursday show 790 U.S. service members have been wounded since the conflict began in late February. Eighteen U.S. service members have been killed during the same period.
On Tuesday, the U.S. conducted a strike near the Strait of Hormuz that hit nearly 60 military targets, including air defense sites, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites.
Simultaneously, the U.S. military escorted ships through the vital waterway. U.S. military officials expect to continue conducting offensive strikes near the strait, noting Iran has demonstrated a capacity to reconstitute its capabilities. Officials describe these ongoing strikes as "mowing the grass" or a game of "whack-a-mole."
The unpopular war has driven an uptick in gas prices, creating anxiety among Republicans seeking to maintain their congressional majorities. Energy companies remain wary about the substantial risks involved in sending ships through the strait, even with military escorts.
President Donald Trump insisted this week he feels no pressure to wind down hostilities before the November elections. However, his advisers and allies concede that the more the war recedes from public view before ballots are cast, the better for the party.
Vance initially opposed going to war with Iran and played a leading role earlier this summer in efforts to broker a diplomatic settlement. The ceasefire he negotiated ultimately collapsed after two weeks, leading to a renewed cycle of back-and-forth strikes as Iran sought to maintain control of the strait.
Calm largely prevailed throughout most of August. Strikes resumed this week when the U.S. targeted Iranian positions near the strait that officials said were preparing to launch mines into the waterway.
Vance said the administration is investigating reports that the latest U.S. strikes killed four people attending a wedding celebration in a village near the Strait of Hormuz. He declined to rule out that civilians were killed, while insisting the military "never targets civilians in combat."
