US Vice President JD Vance said Thursday he would not categorise the Iran war as a war, despite continuing clashes with Tehran six months after the start of the conflict.

Vance's comments came amid growing signs that President Donald Trump is trying to draw a line under the conflict that has bogged down his administration.

"I wouldn't call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting," Vance told a White House briefing when asked if the war would be over by US midterm elections in November.

Vance added that "I recognise there have been places where this has flared up" but said major combat operations only lasted for six weeks after the US-Israel war started on 28 February.