Analysis by Daniel Dale, CNN colleague

These claims come amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran that have lasted for years.

(CNN)-- Many of the key claims made by US President Donald Trump about the war with Iran have been proven false.

Some of Trump's statements were clearly wrong, others were mere boasting based on temporarily correct facts that lost credibility as events unfolded, while other claims were about events that were supposed to happen soon but did not.

During congressional hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday, Democrats pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz on some of the previous statements of the Trump administration about the war. Below is a review of four claims made by Trump:

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The Iranian military

Trump's claims: Trump repeatedly claimed during spring of this year that Iran's military capabilities had been completely eliminated.

For example, in March he said: 'Everything they have, including their leadership, is gone.' In April: 'They are incapable of responding.' In May: 'The Iranian military has completely vanished' and 'We totally destroyed it.' In July: 'They don't have an army anymore.'

How these claims were proven false: Even after Trump's statements, Iran was able to launch military attacks targeting US forces and US allies in the region as well as commercial ships, resulting in deaths and injuries to US military personnel.

And even before the recent Iranian attacks, it was clear that Trump was not telling the truth: CNN reported that US intelligence concluded that Iran still possesses significant military capabilities and is working to rebuild what was damaged at an accelerated pace. Trump himself sometimes acknowledged that Iran has 'some' missiles and drones, but he emphasized the extent of what was destroyed.

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Duration of the war

Trump's claims: Trump initially stated that the war would last only a few weeks.

The Daily Mail quoted him as saying in an interview conducted in early March: 'It's always been about a four-week operation; though it's a powerful operation, the country is large, so it will take four weeks - or less.' In an interview with The New York Times the same day, he said: 'Well, we planned for a period of four to five weeks,' adding, 'It won't be difficult.' In late March, he stated: 'We estimated that completing our mission would take roughly four to six weeks,' noting they were 'far ahead of schedule.'

Trump also made a series of vaguer claims about how quickly the war would end; in March he said it would end 'very quickly,' and in May he stated they would 'end that war super fast.'

How those claims fizzled: Like previous American wars, this war proved much harder to decisively end than the president initially expected. Nearly five months after Trump launched the war, fighting continues; in fact, he threatened escalation on Wednesday, vowing to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant every time Iran fires on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

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Strait of Hormuz

Trump's claims: On July 13, Trump wrote a post saying that 'the Strait of Hormuz is open, and will remain open, with or without Iran,' declaring that the United States would henceforth be known as 'the Guardian of the Strait of Hormuz.' In an interview the same day, he said: 'Well, we control the strait. They don't have anything.' Then, on Sunday, Trump made an even more emphatic statement: 'We control the strait. They [Iran] don't control anything.'

How those claims fizzled: As was clear when Trump made these assertions, Iran still retains significant control over the Strait of Hormuz, even as the US Navy enforces a blockade on ships heading to or from Iranian ports. Iran has claimed responsibility for attacks on ships in the strait area on Monday and Tuesday; in this context, the Combined Maritime Information Center – led by the US Navy – reported that commercial traffic in the strait 'has dropped to its lowest level in three weeks' over the past 48 hours, that Iranian 'harassment activities' against commercial ships in the strait 'continue,' and that 'recent attacks on oil tankers in Omani waters have further impacted operator behavior and contributed to a notable decrease in traffic density.'

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Oil prices

Trump's claims: In recent weeks, Trump has tried to promote a narrative of some kind of victory regarding oil prices.

In the second half of June, with a ceasefire with Iran in effect at the time, Trump boasted that 'oil prices are extremely low' and stated they would 'soon return to the level of four months ago' – i.e., before he launched the war in late February. Then on July 8, he claimed: 'You see oil prices are lower than when I started [the war]' and 'oil prices are falling very rapidly'; though he acknowledged that the renewed violence that day might push prices 'up a little,' he added: 'This will end very quickly.' He also asserted in a social media post on Sunday that oil prices were among those 'falling rapidly.'

How those claims fizzled: It is true that oil prices fell significantly in late June and early July compared to their high levels during the war in March and April, and even briefly dropped below pre-war levels. But they surged again after the ceasefire collapsed and the US and Iran resumed mutual attacks regularly. Violence and high oil prices did not end quickly after July 8 – the day Trump considered the ceasefire to be over; in fact, oil prices were rising – not 'falling rapidly' – over the past week and early this week.

Brent crude – the global oil benchmark – settled at $94.07 a barrel on Wednesday, up about 3.4% on the day, its highest closing level since June 8. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) – the US benchmark – settled at $86.83 a barrel, up about 3% on the day, its highest closing level since June 11. Both Brent and WTI were higher than when Trump started the war and when he returned to office in January 2025.

And during a speech on Wednesday in Georgia, Trump renewed his pledge that oil prices 'will fall sharply' to return to levels of three weeks ago, urging Americans: 'Just give me some time.'