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The United States expects the war with Iran to continue for several weeks, the White House said Friday, while reports said Israel’s military is preparing for a campaign of strikes that could also last weeks.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the military campaign could take roughly four to six weeks to complete, indicating that U.S. forces are continuing operations launched alongside Israel last weekend.
The conflict escalated after the United States and Israel carried out large-scale strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. More than 1,000 people were reported killed in the attacks, including senior Iranian military officials and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Leavitt said Iranian retaliatory missile activity had fallen significantly during the first days of the conflict. According to the administration, ballistic missile launches targeting the United States and its regional allies dropped about 90% in the six days following the start of the operation.
Asked about the rise in oil prices linked to the regional conflict, Leavitt said the administration remains focused on the short-term objectives of the military campaign.
Leavitt said the goal is to eliminate Iran’s ability to threaten U.S. forces and disrupt global energy flows, arguing that the outcome could stabilize energy markets over time.
U.S. President Donald Trump earlier the same day rejected any negotiated end to the conflict short of Iran’s "unconditional surrender," while officials said the administration is also considering possible leadership scenarios in Tehran after the war.
Israeli media reports suggested that Israel’s military is preparing for weeks of continued operations against Iranian targets. According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, military officials believe the strikes are aimed at weakening Iran rather than immediately overthrowing its government.
The report said Israel has used approximately 6,500 munitions in its current attacks on Iran, compared with 4,000 used during a 12-day confrontation in June 2025. Israeli officials also claimed that about 60% of Iran’s missile launchers had been destroyed during the campaign.
The White House also pushed back against reports suggesting Russia provided Iran with targeting information about U.S. forces in the Middle East.
Earlier, The Washington Post reported that Moscow may have shared intelligence on the locations of U.S. military assets, including ships and aircraft in the region. Responding to the report, Leavitt said any such assistance would not affect the outcome of the campaign.
“It clearly is not making a difference with respect to the military operations in Iran because we are completely decimating them,” she told reporters.
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