Vance rejects war label for Iran conflict

Vice President JD Vance has rejected describing the United States’ confrontation with Iran as a war, arguing that major combat operations ended weeks ago despite a sharp renewal of strikes across the Gulf.

“I wouldn’t call it a war,” Vance told reporters at a White House briefing on Thursday. “Right now, there is no active shooting.” He acknowledged that fighting had flared in several places, but said the main phase of US military operations lasted about six weeks.

His comments came after the heaviest exchange of US-Iranian fire in more than a month. US Central Command said forces struck Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets on September 1, including air-defence sites, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications facilities, after attempted attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and on American personnel.

Iran responded with missile and drone attacks aimed at sites hosting US forces across the region. Kuwait said its air defences confronted hostile Iranian missiles and drones, while Jordan reported intercepting most projectiles fired towards its territory. Bahrain also issued security alerts amid Iranian attacks. Claims by Tehran about damage to US facilities have not all been independently confirmed.

Vance defended the administration’s distinction between the current confrontation and the major combat phase, saying Operation Epic Fury had destroyed large parts of Iran’s conventional military and defence-industrial capacity. He also referred to Operation Midnight Hammer, the US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, as part of Washington’s effort to prevent Tehran from rebuilding a weapons-related nuclear capability.

The vice president declined to give a timetable for ending the confrontation, saying any durable easing depended on Iran ceasing attacks on commercial shipping. He said the administration would not set an “artificial timeline” while vessels remained at risk in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors.

“The fundamental reality is that the reason gas prices are so high right now is because the Iranians are shooting at commercial shipping,” Vance said. He argued that US action to protect traffic had allowed millions of barrels of oil to pass through the strait, while acknowledging that energy prices remained elevated.

Maritime traffic through Hormuz has remained below normal levels amid continuing security concerns. The administration says escorts and mine-clearance operations are intended to sustain those flows. The waterway is critical to global oil and liquefied natural gas flows, making attacks on shipping a source of immediate concern for energy markets and Gulf governments.

Vance said Washington was not in active negotiations with Tehran and would not rely on Iran “behaving responsibly or negotiating in good faith”. He said US policy remained focused on preventing the restoration of Iran’s nuclear programme and keeping international energy supplies moving.

His description of the conflict drew attention because US forces are still conducting strikes and more than 50,000 American service members are deployed across the Middle East. Central Command said those forces remain prepared to carry out further operations ordered by President Donald Trump.

The renewed fighting has also revived scrutiny of American casualties. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick apologised on Thursday after incorrectly saying in a television interview that no US service members had died during the Iran conflict. He later acknowledged that 18 American military personnel had been killed and more than 750 wounded.

Vance separately said the administration was investigating Iranian claims that a US strike had hit a wedding gathering near the Strait of Hormuz, killing civilians. He said Washington wanted to establish what had happened but expressed scepticism about information issued by Iranian state media. Iranian authorities have said five people were killed and dozens wounded in the incident.

The conflict began on February 28 with large-scale US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Major operations subsequently diminished, but exchanges continued intermittently before intensifying again at the start of September as the dispute over Hormuz shipping sharpened.