Former President Donald Trump has stated that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East will not conclude until after the U.S. midterm elections in November. Trump also indicated that while further negotiations with Iran might occur, "it's not something we're looking at."

This prediction comes as fighting in the region has intensified in recent days, with attacks on oil facilities contributing to a rise in global fuel prices. The conflict, which began again after a 60-day ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran expired last month, has been ongoing for seven months. Trump had previously predicted the war would last only a few weeks.

On Wednesday, the U.S. military reported attacking five oil tanker ships with ties to Iran. In response, Iran launched attacks on two U.S. Navy destroyers and eight oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iranian state media described as causing "heavy damage" to the vessels. The previous day, Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen carried out attacks in Saudi Arabia, resulting in fires at oil facilities.

The sustained fighting and its impact on global markets have led to predictions that rising fuel costs could prompt higher interest rates in the U.S. Trump reiterated his view that oil prices are unlikely to decrease before the November elections. Middle East hostilities have escalated in recent weeks, impacting oil facilities and contributing to a significant rise in fuel costs.

The current hostilities began after a 60-day ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran expired last month. Prior to this, Trump had initially anticipated a much shorter duration for the conflict. Militarily, the U.S. stated it attacked five oil tankers linked to Iran on Wednesday.

A black and white still from US footage of a tanker being hit with 'unclassified' written in green along the top

Iran's state media reported that Tehran subsequently targeted two U.S. Navy destroyers and eight oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, causing substantial damage.

General view of a five-storey building in Tehran. The building has been shelled-out by a reported missile attack, the outer brickwork is no longer visible and instead the building is hollowed out but is still standing. It is surrounded by rubble

Earlier, Iran-linked Houthis in Yemen conducted attacks within Saudi Arabia, igniting fires at oil facilities. These events have contributed to a sharp decline in Trump's approval ratings amid concerns over the conflict's widespread effects on consumer goods and shipping costs.