President Donald Trump downplayed the ongoing U.S.-Iran military conflict Friday, telling reporters in the Oval Office that he considers it a "military conflict" rather than a war, describing it as "small potatoes for us." Trump also claimed there was "no fighting right now" despite a sharp escalation in hostilities this week involving U.S. strikes on Iran, and said the United States controls the Strait of Hormuz — a claim that does not accurately reflect current conditions.

Separately, Iranian state media reported multiple explosions Saturday near Kharg Island, the country's major oil hub in the Persian Gulf. The Fars news agency confirmed its correspondent heard blasts but reported no visible smoke, while the SNN news agency claimed a U.S. strike targeted an Iranian tanker near the island. The reports have not been independently verified.

The conflict, which began in late February, has resulted in 18 U.S. service member deaths, more than 750 American troops wounded, and thousands of Iranian casualties. The war has also driven gas prices to record highs and disrupted global food supply chains, as a blockade over the Strait of Hormuz has severely restricted international trade and oil shipments. Trump's characterization of the conflict as "small potatoes" drew immediate attention given that he has himself repeatedly referred to it as a war, including calling it "a relatively little war" just days earlier on Monday.

On the diplomatic front, the United States, Britain, France, and Germany have drafted a resolution for consideration by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency that would refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council for failing to comply with its nuclear nonproliferation obligations. The draft resolution follows an IAEA board finding in June 2025 — the first such finding in 20 years — that Iran was in noncompliance, a determination made one day before the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The resolution is expected to go to a vote at next week's IAEA board meeting in Vienna.

Practical enforcement through the U.N. Security Council is considered unlikely, however, as Russia and China — both allies of Iran — hold veto power on the council. In a separate development, the U.S. State Department on Friday approved a $5 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, which has faced repeated attacks during the conflict, citing the need to bolster Saudi airborne defense capabilities and regional interoperability with U.S. forces. Trump also said Friday that the U.S. could strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facilities "very soon."