Netanyahu Vows Swift End to Iran Conflict as Regional War Escalates

TEL AVIV/WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday pushed back against projections of a prolonged Middle Eastern war, stating the ongoing U.S.-Israel offensive against Iran is "not going to take years" despite a rapid regional escalation that has drawn in Lebanon's Hezbollah and triggered attacks on Gulf states.

"This campaign may take some time, but it's not going to take years. It's not an endless war," Netanyahu told Fox News' "Hannity" program, striking a contrast with the more open-ended stance from Washington. His comments came as the conflict entered its fourth day, with air raid sirens wailing in Tel Aviv and explosions reported in the Saudi capital.

The war, which began with coordinated strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday, has rapidly metastasized. Israel has expanded operations to target Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon, while Iran and its proxies have launched retaliatory drone and missile attacks against U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Riyadh, and Kuwait. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for destroying a U.S. airbase command building in Bahrain in what it called the 14th wave of its "Operation Promise of the Truth."

The human and economic toll is mounting. Hundreds of civilian casualties are reported across Iran, Israel, and Lebanon. The conflict has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint for a fifth of global oil trade—sending tanker rates to record highs and oil prices soaring. Global aviation faces its worst disruption since the COVID-19 pandemic, with major hubs like Dubai Airport closed, stranding tens of thousands.

In Washington, the administration of President Donald Trump, who initially predicted a swift campaign, now defends a broader war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned "the hardest hits are yet to come" but stated the current objective—degrading Iran's ballistic missile capability—could be achieved without U.S. ground troops, an option he did not rule out. "The president is not going to rule out anything," Rubio said.

The political stakes are high. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found only a quarter of Americans support the attack on Iran, presenting a significant risk for Trump's Republican Party ahead of midterm elections. The war has drawn condemnation from Russia, China, and Turkey, while Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and calls the assault unprovoked.

Analysts note the conflict represents the most significant U.S. foreign policy gamble in decades, with its ultimate duration and regional reshaping power still uncertain.

Voices from the Readers

David Chen, Security Analyst, London: "Netanyahu's timeline seems optimistic, bordering on wishful thinking. Asymmetric warfare with a networked actor like Iran and Hezbollah rarely concludes swiftly. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz alone guarantees this conflict will have a long, painful economic tail."

Sarah Johnson, Expatriate, Dubai: "We're living in a nightmare. The airport is shut, we're glued to news alerts, and there's no way out. This wasn't a 'surgical strike'; it's unleashed chaos across the entire region. The human cost already feels immense."

Mark Russo, Veteran & Commentator, Texas: "This is an unmitigated disaster of leadership. Trump and Netanyahu have plunged us into another endless quagmire based on what? An 'imminent threat' with no evidence shown to the public or Congress? They've handed Iran a propaganda victory and destabilized the globe. It's reckless and immoral."

Priya Mehta, Energy Markets Consultant, Mumbai: "The immediate shock to oil and shipping markets is severe, but the longer-term realignment of trade routes and energy dependencies will be the lasting legacy. Asia is watching closely and accelerating its pivot away from Middle Eastern supply chains."