US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the West Asia war could end soon, triggering a sharp plunge in global oil prices even as Iran signalled a tougher military response and later Washington warning of the most intense strikes of the conflict.As Trump’s prediction eased fears of prolonged disruptions to global energy supplies, global benchmark Brent crude dropped $7.15, or 7.2 per cent, to $91.81 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $6.26, or 6.6 per cent, to $88.51 a barrel by early afternoon trading. Both contracts had plunged as much as 11 per cent earlier in the session.The sell-off came after crude prices had surged to a more than three-year high in the previous session amid fears that the war could severely disrupt oil flows from the Gulf. Trump’s remarks came shortly after a one-hour telephone conversation with Putin, the first talks between the two leaders this year. The Kremlin described the exchange as “frank and constructive”, with both leaders discussing the escalating war with Iran and broader global security issues.According to officials in Moscow, Putin warned that the US-Israeli war on Iran had already triggered a global energy crisis and cautioned that oil production dependent on transport through the Strait of Hormuz could soon come to a halt if the conflict escalated further.Putin also discussed possible proposals for a diplomatic settlement to the conflict, while Trump later described the call as “very good” and suggested Russia could play a helpful role in stabilising the situation.Trump additionally indicated that Washington was considering easing certain oil-related sanctions to help stabilise global energy markets that have been jolted by the war.Speaking to reporters in Florida, Trump described the conflict as a “short-term excursion” and said US forces were close to achieving their objectives, though he did not offer a timeline for ending the war. The President also warned Tehran against disrupting shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, saying the US would respond with “immense force” if Iran attempted to block vessels moving through the narrow waterway.Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rejected US assertions that its missile programme had been destroyed, saying it was now deploying projectiles in greater numbers and with heavier payloads, including warheads weighing more than one tonne.Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday Iran would witness the most intense American strikes against Iran since the conflict began, signalling a further escalation in the US-led military campaign.The war between the US–Israel alliance and Iran, which began on February 28 with coordinated strikes on Iranian targets, has already widened into a multi-front confrontation across the Gulf, raising fears of a prolonged regional conflict and a global energy shock.Trump also criticised Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new Supreme Leader following the killing of Ali Khamenei during the opening phase of the war. Analysts say the leadership transition could harden Tehran’s stance and complicate diplomatic efforts.