In a national address, Trump also said the United States will "finish the job" in Iran soon, as "key strategic objectives are nearing completion" and military operations could soon be winding down. "We will hit them extremely hard in the next two to three weeks. We will send them back to the Stone Age, where they belong," Trump stated. Trump did not mention the deadline he previously set for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil and gas shipping route, after earlier threatening U.S. attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure if the strait remained closed. He also offered no clear plan to end the supply disruptions that have sent energy prices soaring. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.9% to 52,731.94 in early Thursday trading in Asia. South Korea’s Kospi dropped 3.6% to 5,281.22. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng weakened 0.9% to 25,056.42, while the Shanghai Composite was down 0.5% at 3,928.30. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.6%, and Taiwan’s Taiex traded 1.1% lower. U.S. futures indices were down more than 0.9%. Oil prices surged following Trump’s remarks. Brent, the international benchmark, jumped 4.9% to $106.16 per barrel. U.S. benchmark crude rose 4% to $104.15 per barrel. "The market showed disappointment because President Trump’s speech fell far short of what was expected. There were no concrete details on ending hostilities with Iran," said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at Monex in Tokyo. He added that the market wants a clear framework for a ceasefire. Gold and silver prices declined. Gold fell 2% to $4,718.70 per ounce, while silver lost 4.9% to trade at $72.39 per ounce. Renewed optimism on Wednesday that the war in Iran could end sooner had boosted global stock markets, after Trump signaled late Tuesday that the U.S. military might wrap up its offensive within two to three weeks. On Wednesday, the S&P 500 rose 0.7% to 6,575.32. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.5% to 46,565.74, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.2% to 21,840.95. Shares of Eli Lilly surged 3.8% after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its GLP-1 weight-loss pill. Nike sank 15.5% despite quarterly earnings beating expectations, due to weaker sales forecasts. In other early Thursday moves, the U.S. dollar strengthened to 159.37 Japanese yen from 158.82 yen. The euro traded at $1.1545, compared to $1.1589 earlier.