President Trump declared Friday he's on the verge of ending the war with Iran, boasting on Truth Social that he's "about to settle, or win" the conflict that has gripped the Middle East and sent global energy markets into a tailspin.
"I stopped Iran from having a Nuclear Weapon, and blowing up the entire Middle East and, ultimately, far beyond!" Trump crowed.
Speaking at the White House, the president painted a chilling picture of what Tehran could have done with the bomb, warning the regime would have "blown up Israel, number one" before turning its sights on American shores.
"They would have probably hit places like San Diego or Los Angeles first, because the route for a missile is much more convenient," Trump added.
Putin pumps fuel into Trump's war
The bravado came as Trump revealed he'd sealed a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to flood the global market with diesel, a move aimed at cooling the energy-price spike sparked by the Iran conflict.
Trump said the two had a "highly successful discussion" that ended with Putin agreeing to "immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter."
The Kremlin confirmed the call, saying the two leaders discussed "the situation surrounding Iran and various aspects of bilateral relations" as well as prospects for settling the Ukraine crisis.
"When discussing the state of affairs in the global energy market, the Russian side confirmed its willingness to supply oil and petroleum products to the U.S. market and global markets at large," Putin said in a statement. "I am convinced this will have a positive impact on the entire global economy."
Deadly payback in Zaporizhzhia
But even as Trump celebrated his diesel diplomacy, Russian forces unleashed hell on Ukraine, killing a dozen people in a barrage of glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blasted the attack as a sick thank-you note for the diesel deal, writing on X: "Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia."
"As of now, sadly, twelve people have been confirmed killed, including three children," Zelenskyy wrote. "Another fourteen people have been injured, and two of them are in critical condition."
Strait of Hormuz under siege
The Iran war has turned the Strait of Hormuz into a shooting gallery, with 11 ships struck in or near the vital waterway so far this month alone, according to the U.S. Naval Institute.
Most of the targeted vessels were crude oil tankers, with both Washington and Tehran trading fire as the Pentagon says it has hit ships violating the blockade or aiding Iran.
The week of Sept. 28 through Oct. 6 saw the highest weekly total of attacks, with 12 strikes recorded.
Saudi Arabia in the crosshairs
The conflict has put Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours on a knife's edge, with oil prices soaring as tankers burn and shipping lanes tighten.
The diesel deal with Moscow, less than a month after Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law, marks a stunning pivot for a president who campaigned on crushing both regimes with economic pressure.
Whether the fuel will flow fast enough to calm markets, or whether the Strait will stay open long enough to deliver it, remains the multi-billion-dollar question hanging over the global economy.
