US President Donald Trump has said he believes the war with Iran could end immediately after the US midterm elections in November. His comments come as the conflict continues to affect oil prices, fuel costs and the wider US economy. Trump made the remarks on Wednesday while traveling to Texas for the Republican Party’s first major convention ahead of the midterm elections. He said Iran’s leaders may not be able to continue fighting for much longer and predicted that the war could end after the election. Trump also linked the conflict to rising oil prices. He said oil prices would fall sharply after the war ends and suggested that Americans could see lower gasoline prices. The war, which has now lasted around seven months, began after US and Israeli attacks on Iran in February. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and several Arab countries that host US military forces. The fighting has since spread across the Middle East. Attacks on oil facilities, ships and other targets have created serious concerns about energy supplies and international trade. Oil prices have been one of the biggest effects of the conflict. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, has risen above $100 a barrel several times in recent months. On Wednesday, oil again reached $100 a barrel for the first time since July. The situation has also affected fuel prices in the United States. US diesel prices recently reached a record high. Higher fuel costs can increase the price of transporting goods, which can then make food and other products more expensive for consumers. Trump acknowledged that some Americans are unhappy about the war because of higher gasoline prices. However, he argued that the economic problems are worth facing if the conflict prevents Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran has repeatedly denied that it is trying to build nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes. Trump also claimed that Iran may try to influence the US election. He provided no evidence for this claim. He suggested that Iran would prefer a weaker US government that might allow Tehran to continue its nuclear programme. The US election is especially important for Trump and his Republican Party. The midterm elections will take place on 3 November, and Republicans are facing the possibility of losing control of Congress. Historically, the president’s party often loses seats during midterm elections. Trump is therefore working to motivate Republican voters and strengthen support for his party. At the Texas convention, Trump told supporters that oil prices would fall once the US wins the war with Iran. He also said that further negotiations with Iran were possible, although he said talks were not currently being seriously considered. Meanwhile, fighting in the region has continued to increase. The US military said it had destroyed five oil tankers linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Gulf of Oman and the northern Gulf. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later claimed that its forces attacked two US Navy destroyers and eight oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military denied that its warships had been hit. Iran also said it launched missiles at US military facilities at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. Jordan said it intercepted 20 Iranian missiles, while two others landed in areas without causing casualties. Reports later said several US aircraft at the Jordanian base were damaged. One A-10 aircraft reportedly lost a wing, while around eight F-15 fighter jets suffered minor damage. The Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen has also attacked targets in Saudi Arabia. Several oil facilities were reportedly affected by fires following missile and drone attacks. With fighting continuing in several parts of the Middle East, concerns about oil supplies and global shipping remain high. The Strait of Hormuz is particularly important because a large amount of the world's oil passes through the waterway. Trump says the war could end after the November elections, but there is no clear agreement with Iran confirming that timeline. For now, the conflict continues, while rising energy prices are adding pressure on governments, businesses and ordinary people around the world.