What Will Make Trump, Netanyahu Declare Absolute Victory In US-Israel-Iran War?

Last Updated:March 20, 2026, 15:16 IST

Netanyahu claimed that Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium or produce ballistic missiles. Yet, the war hasn't ended.

Three weeks after the war between United States, Israel and Iran began on February 28, 2026, it has escalated into one of the most worrying Middle East crises in decades. Major strikes have hit Iranian military infrastructure and energy facilities. Iran has responded with long‑range missile and drone attacks on Israel, US interests, and energy hubs across the Gulf, hitting sites in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Global oil prices have soared, and shipping through the Strategic Strait of Hormuz has been largely halted, disrupting around a fifth of the world’s oil supply.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday framed the conflict not just as a military campaign but as a strategic reset of energy routes and regional security. He claimed that Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium or produce ballistic missiles, though international agencies have questioned whether these programs are fully dismantled.

Yet, the war hasn’t ended. Similar claims of “completely decimating" Iran have also been made by US President Donald Trump in the past few days. But strikes between the US-Israel alliance and Iran continue for the 21st day. Why is it that despite having claimed victory multiple times over the past few days, the US and Israel are continuing to strike Iran? Here’s looking at what each of these countries really wants from the war:

What Will Make Trump Actually Declare Victory In The Iran War?

For US President Donald Trump, victory is largely defined in terms of eliminating perceived strategic threats from Iran. From the early days, Trump framed the campaign as necessary to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons and long‑range ballistic missiles — ambitions Washington long claimed could threaten the region and beyond.

Trump has publicly claimed significant effects of US military action. During Kharg Island airstrike earlier this month, he declared that US forces had “totally obliterated every military target" on that strategic Iranian island — calling it one of the most powerful bombing raids in Middle Eastern history.

On social media and in press statements during the first weeks of the war, Trump boasted that US forces were striking Iran with overwhelming force, warning that Iran “better not" fire back or risk unprecedented retaliation, and urging Iranians themselves to “take back your country."

Yet despite repeated assertions that the US had crippled Iran’s military infrastructure and that Tehran’s capabilities were diminished, the war has continued without a clear endpoint. Trump even told NBC earlier this month that he was not ready to accept a ceasefire because the terms were “not good enough yet."

Meanwhile, US intelligence testimony has underscored that American and Israeli goals aren’t identical — with Washington more narrowly fixated on weapons systems and strategic deterrence, rather than complete regime overthrow. That divergence complicates not only allied strategy but also how — and if — Trump might ever declare the conflict “over."

What Does Israel Want From the War

Israel’s goals in this conflict stem from a long-standing belief that Iran represents an existential danger. At today’s briefing, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel aims to degrade Iran’s missile and nuclear capabilities and to restructure regional energy and security dynamics in Israel’s favour.

Netanyahu insisted that the war would continue until Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities are destroyed. He also floated a post‑war vision where oil and gas flow through new pipelines to Israel’s Mediterranean ports, circumventing Iranian leverage over energy routes like the Strait of Hormuz. Netanyahu was also keen to stress that Israel had not “dragged" the United States into the war, even as US and Israeli forces coordinate strikes deep inside Iran.

Earlier in the war, Israeli strikes, including the controversial assault on Iran’s South Pars gas field, marked a significant escalation — opening a front not only on military targets but on energy infrastructure that has global implications. Tehran responded with retaliatory hits on Gulf energy facilities, prompting international concerns.

Netanyahu has also signaled that Israel may consider a ground component in the future, acknowledging that air strikes alone cannot topple Iran’s entrenched regime or fully eliminate its capabilities.

In Netanyahu’s framing, success would be measured not just by stopping immediate threats but by reshaping the regional balance of power and securing Israel’s long-term security and economic interests, including bypassing Iran’s control over key energy routes.

What Iran Says It Has Achieved — And What It Wants

Iran’s messaging emphasises resilience, sustained offensive capability, and strategic leverage rather than conventional battlefield victories. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has repeatedly launched missile and drone attacks on Israel, US positions, and Gulf energy infrastructure.

Iranian officials highlight their ability to withstand US and Israeli strikes, framing survival under heavy attack as a strategic success. A senior IRGC commander warned that Iran would show “zero restraint" if its energy infrastructure is targeted again, signaling a readiness for escalated retaliation.

Iran has put forth three conditions to cease hostilities or negotiate a lasting end to the conflict:

Recognition of Iran’s Legitimate Rights

Tehran insists that the United States, Israel, and the international community must formally recognise Iran’s sovereign rights — including its right to peaceful nuclear technology, independence, and security — before a ceasefire or end‑of‑war agreement can be considered. This is meant to ensure that Iran’s position is not subordinated or treated as defeated.

Payment of Reparations

Iranian leaders have demanded that the US and Israel pay compensation for losses sustained in the war — including civilian harm, infrastructure damage, and economic disruption — as a condition for talks to end hostilities. Tehran frames this as accountability for what it calls “unjustified aggression" against Iran.

International Guarantees Against Future Aggression

Iran is asking for firm international guarantees — backed by third parties such as the United Nations or major powers — that neither the US nor Israel will attack Iran again in the future. These guarantees would be designed to give Tehran confidence that ending the war will not leave it vulnerable to renewed military action

The End of the War Is Still Unpredictable

As the conflict enters Day 21, it remains far from resolved. Each side — the United States, Israel, and Iran — has different benchmarks for what victory means. For Trump and the U.S., victory is tied to dismantling Iran’s strategic weapons programs. For Israel, success is framed through long-term security and regional repositioning and eliminating key leaders. For Iran, it wants recognition and guarantees.

With global energy markets strained, regional alliances under stress, and civilian suffering rising, the war’s end remains as unpredictable and complex as its abrupt beginning on February 28, 2026.

News world What Will Make Trump, Netanyahu Declare Absolute Victory In US-Israel-Iran War?

Read More