A seventh American service member killed in the war with Iran has been returned to U.S. soil in a dignified transfer ceremony, as President Donald Trump offers mixed signals about how much longer the conflict will last and leaves the door open to acquiring Iranian oil amid rising energy prices.
Vice President JD Vance overnight saluted Army Sgt. Benjamin Pennington, who died Sunday from wounds suffered in an Iranian strike on an air base in Saudi Arabia on March 1. Pennington is the seventh U.S. service member killed in action in the war with Iran.
Nine days after that strike, Trump said the war may be winding down.
"It's going to be ended soon," Trump said.
Even so, Trump warned of larger strikes if Iran follows through on escalating threats to further restrict traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil route.
"We'll take them out so quickly, they'll never be able to recover, ever," Trump said.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said today will be the most intense day of strikes. Pressed on whether the administration is sending mixed messages about the war's length, Hegseth pushed back.
"This is not endless, it's not protracted, we're not allowing mission creep," Hegseth said.
The war has choked off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Combined with strikes on oil sites across the region, gas prices have surged. New York driver Michael Anderson said he is already feeling the impact at the pump.
"To fill it up, it brought an extra $15, $20 in the tank," Anderson said.
Trump told NBC News by phone that people have talked about the U.S. seizing Iranian oil, but said he did not want to discuss it at this time.
New video has emerged that weapons experts say shows a U.S. Tomahawk missile that likely struck an area near an Iranian elementary school at the start of the war, killing 170 people. Trump again asserted, without evidence, that Iran could have fired the missile.
"The Tomahawk, which is one of the most powerful weapons around, is used by, you know, is sold and used by other countries," Trump said.
Experts say that in this conflict, only the U.S. has that munition. Trump added the incident is under investigation.
There are now new concerns that rising gas prices will drive up costs for plane tickets and for goods shipped by truck, including food, clothing and furniture. Trump has said he believes the oil industry will be more secure in the long term. For now, he has offered to escort oil tankers and provide risk insurance for companies willing to attempt passage.
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