Vice President JD Vance took to the White House briefing room on Thursday and pushed back against the idea that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is a war, even as the military continues to engage in strikes. He told the press that the term “war” is inaccurate because “active combat operations” ended months ago. CNN reported that Vance couldn’t offer a timeline on the conflict or when gas prices might drop back down to pre-war levels. Per the outlet, this depiction of a low-grade, occasional conflict is an indication that the administration is trying to shift the focus away, especially with high-stakes midterm elections looming. Vance told the press that, “Right now, there is no active shooting.” However, reports indicate that for three straight days, the United States and Iran have exchanged fire around the Strait of Hormuz. CNN reported that the Pentagon released updated figures on Thursday showing that 790 US service members have been wounded and 18 have been killed since the conflict started. On Tuesday, the US conducted an operation that hit nearly 60 targets around the Strait, including Iranian air defense systems, radar, and communication sites. At the same time, they escorted ships through the Strait. A repetitive cycle CNN noted that officials characterized the strikes as “mowing the grass” or a game of “whack-a-mole,” partly because of how quickly Iran has been able to reconstitute its capabilities. Allegedly, these strikes were initiated because Iran was preparing to launch mines into the Strait. However, one of these strikes reportedly hit a wedding celebration in the town of Kuhestak. VP Vance says he will not call the U.S.-Iran war a war and cannot give a timeline of when the conflict will be over: "I think the reality is, I don't know the answer to that question. You'd have to ask the Iranians." pic.twitter.com/ss6rUBevql— CSPAN (@cspan) September 3, 2026 According to Reuters, the explosion resulted in the deaths of four people and injured at least 68 others. Per CNN, Vance said the US is investigating but that he’s “extremely skeptical” of the account, arguing that Iranian state media “has not been a very good scribe about what’s happened in the conflict thus far.” Vance, however, told the press that the military “never targets civilians in combat.” He noted, “We never will do that, we never have done that, and unfortunately, obviously, sometimes things happen, but in this particular case, I don’t think that we have any information one way or the other.” The situation in Kuhestak is drawing increasing scrutiny from experts. A Reuters analysis involving four military weapons experts who reviewed verified images and video indicates that the damage to the home was likely caused by a direct hit from a US munition rather than secondary damage from a nearby strike. Gareth Collett, a retired British Army brigadier, noted that given the volume of bombs being dropped, errors occur even with sophisticated guidance systems. Trevor Ball, a former US Army explosive ordnance disposal technician, also reviewed the evidence and told Reuters, “The damage seen appears to be from a munition which detonated on contact with the roof, or just above the roof.” While the US military confirmed it carried out strikes in the area targeting a telecommunications tower, officials are still looking into various scenarios regarding the wedding casualties. JUST IN: President Trump agrees with VP JD Vance in refusing to call the months-long U.S. military action in Iran a war, instead calling it a "military conflict" and describing the whole thing as "small potatoes" to the United States."Well, I'll tell you what. A lot of people… pic.twitter.com/sV1O7GjLC7— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 4, 2026 Reuters reported that the Balochestan Human Rights Documentation Network and Haalvsh identified the victims as 43-year-old Kolsoom Mollahi Najhandania, 50-year-old Zarkhatoon Taheri, and four-year-old Amir Mohammad Karimi. A fourth person, 16-year-old Mohammad Mallahi, was also killed while riding a motorcycle nearby. Mourners held a funeral for the victims on Thursday. Per CNN, Tehran retaliated by targeting American bases in the region. Vance remains firm that there are no active talks with Tehran. He reportedly stated, “The president’s been very clear. We’re not talking to them, and we’re not going to talk to them unless they stop shooting at commercial shipping.” When pressed on when the conflict might end, Vance responded, “When you ask when will this end, you’re asking me a question like when will the Iranians stop shooting at ships? I think the reality is I don’t know the answer to that question. You would have to ask the Iranians.” Beyond the geopolitical friction, CNN noted that the economic impact is weighing heavily on the administration. Gas prices have seen an uptick, which is causing anxiety among Republicans who are worried about holding onto their congressional majorities. However, some lawmakers like Ted Cruz do not believe it will impact the midterms. VP Vance on gas prices and the U.S.-Iran war: "The reason gas prices are so high right now is because the Iranians are shooting at commercial shipping… Yes, gas prices are higher in the United States, they're way worse everywhere else in the world." pic.twitter.com/4S99rYZNOk— CSPAN (@cspan) September 3, 2026 When asked about potential relief for drivers, Vance said, “I’m not going to make a promise about when it’s going to return to $3.” He emphasized that the primary goal remains ensuring that Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. During his hour-long session, Vance also defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid reports of internal turmoil and the resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, Vance’s friend from Yale Law School. Despite criticism from figures like Senator Thom Tillis, who described the management as inept, Vance maintained that Hegseth is simply working to reform the military.