White House Tug-Of-War Over How To Declare Victory; Is Putin The Biggest Winner In Iran War?

| Mar 13, 2026, 08:28:40 PM | TOI.in
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War drums grow louder in the Middle East as questions swirl over whether Donald Trump anticipated the fierce response from Tehran. Reports suggest a tense tug of war inside the White House, with advisers divided over how to frame “victory” even as the conflict with Iran escalates and spreads across the region, raising fears of a wider and more prolonged war.The cost of the conflict is also mounting rapidly. Estimates suggest the United States spent more than $11 billion in just the first six days of operations, with the price expected to soar as the campaign expands. At the same time, oil price spikes linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz are pushing fuel costs higher, meaning ordinary Americans are already feeling the economic shock of the war.Amid the turmoil, Trump reportedly told leaders at the Group of Seven that Iran was “about to surrender” because its leadership had been wiped out. But just 24 hours later, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to keep fighting and promised vengeance — signalling that the confrontation is far from over.

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