US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday, March 28, 2026, that the war in the Gulf is expected to end within weeks rather than months, even as Washington continues troop deployments and diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict. He told reporters after meeting G7 counterparts in France that the U.S. campaign is progressing “on or ahead of schedule” and that Washington could meet its objectives “without any ground troops.”
Rubio said the administration’s timeline anticipates a short campaign. “We expect to conclude it in a matter of weeks, not months,” he said, adding that “when we are done with them here in the next couple weeks, they will be weaker than they’ve been in recent history.”
At the same time, thousands of U.S. Marines and elite airborne troops have been sent to the region. Rubio described the deployments as a precaution designed to give President Donald Trump “maximum optionality” should conditions change, but acknowledged that the movements have raised concerns the conflict could widen into a broader ground war.
On diplomacy, Rubio said Iran had sent “messages” to the American side but had not accepted a U.S.-proposed peace plan. “We’ve had an exchange of messages and indications from the Iranian system — whatever’s left of it — about a willingness to talk about certain things,” he said, without detailing the proposals.
Rubio also warned that securing the Strait of Hormuz will be a major post-conflict challenge. He urged allies in Europe and Asia to help ensure the vital shipping route remains open, saying Iran might seek to impose a toll on traffic through the strait — a move he called illegal, unacceptable and “dangerous to the world.”
Addressing reports that Russia had provided Iran with targeting information, Rubio dismissed such claims, telling reporters on the tarmac: “There is nothing Russia is doing for Iran that is in any way impeding or affecting our operations.”
Published by Nitish Singh. Published on: Mar 28, 2026 02:18 IST.
Original Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/weeks-not-months-rubio-says-gulf-war-nearing-end-as-troops-deploy-but-ground-invasion-ruled-out-2888208-2026-03-28
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Publish Date: 2026-03-28 06:51:00
