WASHINGTON, May 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday bragged that the U.S. Navy acted "like pirates" in its blockade of Iranian ports, as the war against Iran reached a 60-day legal deadline.

"We took over the ship, we took over the cargo, we took over the oil. It's a very profitable business," Trump said at an event in Florida on Friday.

"We're like pirates. We're sort of like pirates, but we are not playing games," Trump said.

Trump told lawmakers earlier on Friday that the war against Iran has "terminated," an effort to quelch the fight over the need for Congress to approve the conflict, Politico said.

Under the War Powers Resolution adopted in 1973, the U.S. president -- after notifying Congress of the use of military force -- must terminate the action within 60 days, unless Congress authorizes continued military action.

The United States and Israel launched major combat operations against Iran on Feb. 28. The Trump administration formally notified Congress on March 2 of the military action, meaning the 60-day legal deadline would expire on May 1.

Senior Iranian military official Mohammad Jafar Asadi said on Saturday that a return to war was "likely," according to Iranian semi-official Fars news agency.

According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Navy intercepted and boarded two oil tankers in the Indian Ocean on April 20 and April 22, respectively. The tankers were alleged to be transporting oil from Iran. ■