Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley expressed strong support Tuesday for President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran, saying the United States should press forward and complete the mission rather than settle for a partial result.
In an interview with CNBC, Haley argued that the operation has reached a critical stage and should be carried through to its conclusion. “I think you finish it,” Haley said.
She contrasted the situation with other international crises and pointed to what she described as major progress already achieved by U.S. forces. “This is not Venezuela, where you extract [former leader Nicolas] Maduro. This is something where … 75% of the job is done. I think it’s miraculous what our military has done,” she added.
Haley said the administration has made sound decisions so far but emphasized that stopping short would leave unfinished business. “I think the decisions that have been made have been good, but if you’re going to do it, do it right and finish it so that we never have to deal with the Iranian regime again.”
Her comments come as the U.S.-led conflict with Iran has entered its fifth week, following the launch of coordinated American and Israeli strikes under Operation Epic Fury after nuclear diplomacy broke down.
According to U.S. officials, the campaign has targeted key elements of Iran’s military infrastructure, including command centers, air defenses, missile and drone launch sites, and airfields, with the goal of weakening Tehran’s ability to threaten the United States and its allies.
Thousands of targets have reportedly been struck as the conflict has widened across the region, fueling debate in Washington and among allied nations over whether to continue military operations or shift toward a diplomatic resolution.
Haley identified the Strait of Hormuz as one of the most pressing complications of the war, given its central role in global oil shipments. “The effects that they did not expect, or I think that have posed to be the challenge is, obviously, the Strait of Hormuz,” Haley said.
She warned that Iran’s control over the waterway could have far-reaching consequences and stressed the need to keep it open. “And what you don’t want is for Iran to have a strong hold over that, and I think we’re seeing the ramifications of that, is that we’ve got to make sure that that stays open and stop their mining capabilities in the process,” she explained.
The fighting has already disrupted energy flows through the strait, contributing to market instability and raising concerns about supply shortages and inflation if the situation persists.
Haley also urged the United States to maintain broader pressure on its global adversaries. “Iran is going in the right direction,” she said, while calling on Washington and its allies to continue confronting Russia and China and to rally partners to “step in and finish this.”
Her remarks reflect a divide among Republicans over how the war should end, with some supporting a decisive military conclusion while others caution that prolonging the conflict could carry significant military, political, and economic risks.
{Matzav.com}
