Trump: We Sank 159 Iranian Ships, War Could End Before November Elections

International Voice – September 17, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that American forces had sunk 159 Iranian ships, suggesting that the war with Iran could reach what he described as a “good conclusion” before the November elections.

Speaking at a campaign rally in North Carolina, Trump said the United States had kept the Strait of Hormuz open, adding that all the Iranian ships that had been sunk were now “at the bottom of the sea.” He also said Iran’s naval and air capabilities had suffered “major destruction.”

Trump said the U.S. blockade imposed on Iranian ports had prevented any ships bound for Iran from passing through during the past several months.

He praised U.S. forces and said the conflict would “end soon,” while asserting that Washington had eliminated Iran’s nuclear capability and stressing that the United States would not allow Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon.

Addressing when the war might end, Trump said it could conclude “a little after the election,” before adding that it might instead end before the election, referring to the midterm elections scheduled for November.