President Donald Trump said on August 17 that he has no definitive timetable for ending the US war with Iran, signaling a hardline stance as the conflict approaches the six-month mark. Trump told Tehran to "Put up the white flag of surrender," casting the war as a fight to be won rather than a negotiation to be settled. The conflict began on February 28, 2026, when joint US-Israeli strikes targeted Iran under the names "Operation Epic Fury" in Washington and "Operation Roaring Lion" in Israel. Since then, the war has involved repeated strikes, blockades, failed ceasefire efforts and prolonged disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that carries roughly 20% of the world's oil on any given day. The strain on that corridor has helped keep energy markets under pressure. A memorandum of understanding meant to revive peace talks expired in June without a breakthrough, underscoring how far apart the US and Iran remain. Analysts increasingly describe the length of the conflict as a strategic miscalculation, saying early assumptions of a quick outcome underestimated Iran's ability to withstand attacks and continue resisting.