When the U.S. and Israel started attacking Iran on February 28, Fox reported that the war could be “an extended campaign that lasts for several days or several weeks.” By early March, many media figures were using phrases like “days or weeks” and “two weeks, three weeks or so” to describe the timeline of the war. 

Now, podcasters and pundits are attempting to convince their audiences — and themselves — that the conflict is “starting to wrap up,” saying it’s “on the five-yard line.” Fox News' Jesse Watters seems to be convinced that the war is already over, assuring viewers, “He told you it would take six weeks; it did.” 

Despite the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S., the Strait of Hormuz is still blockaded, and President Donald Trump has pushed the finish line even further, saying there is “no time frame” for the war to end.