Rubio: US war with Iran to last weeks, not months

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the war against Iran could be over within weeks rather than months, and without the need for a major ground operation. At the same time, however, Washington is deploying thousands of Marines and paratroopers to the region – a move many interpret as signalling readiness to escalate.

The situation in the Middle East remains tense. Iran has launched missile and drone attacks, one of which injured 12 US soldiers at a base in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the US and Israel continue to strike Iranian military infrastructure, including missile and drone facilities, as well as selected nuclear-related sites.

Tehran has yet to decide whether to accept a US proposal to end the conflict, which includes stringent conditions, among them curbs on its nuclear programme. Available information suggests Washington has destroyed only part of Iran’s arsenal, indicating that the conflict may prove more complex than it appears.

(reuters)