US President Donald Trump has stated that the Iran war will not end until after the November midterm elections, asserting that oil prices will only fall once the conflict concludes. In remarks made during a Republican Party convention in Texas, Trump claimed that Iran's leaders would be unable to sustain the war effort beyond the election, which is scheduled for 3 November. 'I think the war's going to end immediately after the election because they can't hold out any longer,' he said, according to a BBC report.

The conflict, which began in February when the US and Israel attacked Iran, has escalated across the Middle East, with Iran retaliating by launching missiles and drones at Israel and Arab states hosting US military facilities. The price of Brent crude oil has risen above $100 per barrel three times in the past six months, with Iranian attacks disrupting production in Gulf states and exports through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also claimed that Iran is 'desperate to try and affect the election' to install a 'nice weak group of people' in Congress, an apparent reference to the Democratic Party.

Tehran has repeatedly denied seeking nuclear weapons, insisting its nuclear program is solely peaceful. The US has imposed a naval blockade on Iran's ports and begun striking Iranian tankers in response to attacks on warships and other vessels. Trump predicted that oil prices would 'tumble downward' after the election, though he provided no evidence to support this claim. The conflict has also led to a steep decline in his approval ratings, with pressure mounting within his party to end the war.

Fighting in the Middle East has intensified, with oil facilities under attack and fuel prices rising globally. On Wednesday, the price of oil hit $100 a barrel for the first time since July, and US diesel prices reached an all-time high. Predictions suggest that rising fuel costs could lead to higher interest rates. The US military reported attacking five oil tankers linked to Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Gulf of Oman and the northern Gulf. The IRGC responded by claiming it had attacked two US Navy destroyers and eight oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, though Centcom denied its warships were hit.

Jordan's armed forces intercepted 20 Iranian missiles, with two falling in unpopulated areas and no casualties reported. Sources told CBS News that several US fighter jets at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan were damaged in the Iranian strikes, with one A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft missing a wing and eight F-15s sustaining light damage. Iranian officials denied that explosions reported in southern Iran on Wednesday night were US strikes, attributing the sounds to the sea.

In a separate development, the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, causing fires at several oil facilities. Saudi media reported more Houthi attacks on the kingdom, with a military spokesman condemning the strikes as retaliation for days of Saudi air strikes on Houthi territory in western Yemen, where a four-year-old informal ceasefire has collapsed.