U.S. President Donald Trump said in a phone interview with Axios that the war with Iran will end “soon,” arguing that military operations have almost exhausted the available targets.

“There are only a few things left here and there. Whenever I want it to end, it will end,” the American president emphasized.

Despite Trump’s statements that the operations have essentially achieved their goals, officials from the United States and Israel reportedly say that no internal directive has been issued on when military actions should stop.

At the same time, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that operations will continue “without a time limit, for as long as necessary, until all objectives are achieved and a decisive victory is secured.”

Meanwhile, Trump confirmed that U.S. strikes on Tuesday (March 10) destroyed 16 vessels used for laying mines, which — according to him — disrupted Iranian plans.

“U.S. forces continue to deliver overwhelming military power against the Iranian regime. The military strength of the United States is increasing, while Iran’s military power is decreasing,” he said, adding that Iranian missile and drone attacks have decreased dramatically.

He also stressed that the operations are progressing faster than originally planned.

“The war is going extremely well. We are far ahead of schedule. We have caused more damage than we thought possible even in the original six-week plan,” he said.

“Their goal was also the rest of the Middle East. Now they are paying for 47 years of death and destruction they caused. This is retaliation. They will not get away with it so easily,” the U.S. president concluded.