US has 'unlimited supply' of weapons, can fight forever: Trump
What's the story
President Donald Trump has warned that the United States has a "virtually unlimited supply" of medium- and upper-medium-grade weapons, as the Iran-Israel war entered its fourth day on Tuesday. He said "wars can be fought 'forever,' and very successfully, using just these supplies." "At the highest end, we have a good supply, but are not where we want to be. Much additional high grade weaponry is stored for us in outlying countries," Trump added.
Duration
Conflict could last over a month: Trump
Trump earlier said that the ongoing conflict with Iran could last longer than a month. The war, which started on Saturday with an attack that killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has now spread to Israel bombing Lebanon and Tehran targeting oil facilities in Gulf countries. "From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go far longer than that," Trump said at the White House.
Retaliatory measures
Iran threatens to increase global energy costs
Iran has responded to the attack by launching missiles and drones across the Middle East. The country has also threatened to increase global energy costs, a move that could destabilize the world economy. "We will burn any ship that tries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," Revolutionary Guards General Sardar Jabbari warned about this strategic waterway through which around 20% of global seaborne oil passes.
Bombardment
US embassy in Riyadh attacked
On Tuesday, the United States Department of State confirmed that two Iranian drones attacked the US embassy in Riyadh. The Saudi Defense Ministry described the attack as causing "limited fire," resulting in "minor damages." Around 2,700 US troops are stationed in Saudi Arabia; the majority of them are stationed at the Prince Sultan facility south of the capital, Riyadh, along with missile defense systems.
Military casualties
US military deaths in conflict
Since the conflict started, six US military personnel have been killed, according to US Central Command. Iranian media reports hundreds of Iranian casualties, although these figures remain unverified by independent sources. The latest figure by the Iranian Red Crescent Society claimed that 555 people have been killed across Iran in US and Israeli strikes that began two days ago.