President Trump defended launching military operations against Iran, saying he would make the same decision again and rejecting regret, while forecasting that hostilities would end immediately after the November midterm elections. The war, begun in February through coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes and initially expected to last several weeks, remains unresolved after a June agreement collapsed; low-level fighting continues without a clear U.S. exit strategy. A U.S. blockade has weakened Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz and reduced its oil exports from 1.85 million barrels a day last spring to about 255,000 in August, while alternative routes lifted non-Iranian flows to 10.8 million barrels a day. Brent crude rose above $100 a barrel, its first level since July, and U.S. diesel prices reached records, adding to inflation and Republican election concerns. Iran and its regional allies continue attacking shipping and energy infrastructure, while U.S. military operations have cost taxpayers more than $37.5 billion and resulted in 18 service members’ deaths.