(CNN) -- Vice President JD Vance did not provide a timeline for the Iran war to end or a date when gas prices might drop below prewar levels during an appearance Thursday at the White House.Vance suggested it is up to Iran to en d the conflict that began with joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes six months ago.Vance argued the hostilities should not be called a war because combat operations ended months ago.Right now, there is no active shooting, Vance said, despite three consecutive days this week when the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire, including around the Strait of Hormuz.The description of the Middle East situation as a low-grade battle signals the administration is trying to move past the war two months before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, even as the U.S. military continues targeting Iranian positions. Pentagon data released Thursday showed 18 U.S. service members have died and 790 have been wounded since the conflict began in late February.The U.S. conducted an operation Tuesday, hitting nearly 60 military targets around the strait. These included air defense sites, radar systems, maritime equipment, mine-laying tools and communications sites, while the military escorted ships through the waterway.The U.S. military expects to continue offensive strikes near the strait because Iran has shown it can rebuild its military. Officials said these strikes are like mowing the grass or a game of whack-a-mole.Although Tuesdays operation was a success, officials said they do not expect a swift solution to the conflict. Energy companies remain wary about the risks of sending ships through the strait, even with military escorts.The unpopular war has caused gas prices to increase, creating anxiety for Republicans looking to maintain congressional majorities.President Donald Trump insisted this week he feels no pressure to end hostilities before the election. However, his advisers and allies said the further the war recedes from view before November, the better.Vance, who initially opposed the war, tried to negotiate a peace deal earlier this summer. The ceasefire he negotiated failed after two weeks, and both sides returned to back-and-forth strikes as Iran sought control of the strait.Calm prevailed for most of August. Strikes resumed this week when the U.S. destroyed Iranian positions near the strait that were reportedly preparing to launch mines. Vance said the administration is investigating reports that the strikes killed four people at a wedding celebration near the Strait of Hormuz. He did not rule out civilian deaths but said the military does not target civilians in combat.We never will do that, we never have done that, and unfortunately, obviously, sometimes things happen, but in this particular case, I dont think that we have any information one way or the other, Vance said.Tehran retaliated against the U.S. strikes by targeting American bases in the region.Vance said no talks are currently underway with the Iranians. During a press briefing Thursday, he said the United States will not talk to Iran unless it stops shooting at commercial ships.The presidents been very clear, Vance said. Were not talking to them, and were not going to talk to them unless they stop shooting at commercial shipping.That leaves an uncertain timeline for the conflict. Vance did not say whether it would end by the Nov. 3 elections.When you ask when will this end, youre asking me a question like when will the Iranians stop shooting at ships? I think the reality is I dont know the answer to that question, he said. You would have to ask the Iranians.The vice president also declined to say when gas prices might drop.Im not going to make a promise about when its going to return to $3, he said. What I will say is that we have to remember why are we doing this? No. 1, its so that Iran never has a nuclear weapon.Vance spoke from the White House briefing room, which had not been used for 42 days. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt left her position last week, and Trump has not named a replacement.Vance spoke for nearly one hour, taking questions on the Iran conflict and his recent weight loss. He attributed his slimmed-down figure to a diet suggested by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.I eat a lot of high-protein stuff and I eat a lot of sauerkraut, he said, describing the regimen as less than appetizing. If you want to enjoy what you eat, do not call Bobby Kennedy.He also offered support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose management of the Pentagon has been scrutinized following firings, blocked promotions and resignations of senior officers.Army Secretary Dan Driscoll a close friend of Vance from their days at Yale Law School resigned this week, leaving the Army without its top civilian leader. Hegseth, who served in the Army National Guard for nearly 20 years, has taken an interest in the Armys leadership, removing several key leaders.Some retiring Republicans have called for Hegseths removal. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who voted to confirm Hegseth last year, said he had never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country. Tillis also said Hegseth was intimidated by competence.Vance, however, downplayed the departures, stating Hegseth is working to reform the military.America has fought a lot of wars since Ive been alive, 42 years, and we have won almost none of them until Donald J. Trump became the president of the United States, Vance said. ...read more read less