Rubio: War in Iran is over

(Patria) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday stood by his claim that the war with Iran is over, despite deadly strikes continuing, AFP reported.

"We are no longer conducting continuous strikes inside Iran to degrade their military, because Epic Fury is over," Rubio told the House Foreign Affairs Committee, asserting that the United States had secured victory.

The US-Israeli war, which Washington called Operation Epic Fury, has engulfed the entire Middle East since the first strikes on Iran on February 28.

Iran responded by attacking US allies in the region and effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a key channel for oil and gas transport from the Gulf.

"We define victory as destroying their defense industrial base, significantly reducing the number of missile launchers they possess, significantly reducing their drone stockpile," Rubio said.

"And we have achieved all of that, in addition to destroying what remained of their air force and wiping out their entire conventional navy."

Rubio faced strong pushback from Democrats, who argued the conflict was still raging, with Iran attacking a Kuwaiti airport on Wednesday, killing one person and wounding 63 in a major escalation of the conflict.

Bahrain, which like Kuwait hosts a significant US military presence, also experienced drone attacks from Iran overnight.

Rubio informed lawmakers about negotiations with Iran, saying that Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium is at the center of talks and that Tehran has not yet agreed to a peace deal.

Washington insists that Iran must hand over enriched uranium, agree to curb nuclear activities, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz for any peace deal to be reached.

"I think that now, in some papers that have been exchanged back and forth, that is clearly resolved, but we... still do not have final confirmation from their system as of this morning," Rubio told the House committee.