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Iran shares chilling threat to the US after strikes kill Supreme Leader - Trump responds
US and Israeli forces carried out coordinated airstrikes on Iran early Saturday morning and again on Sunday local time, in a dramatic escalation that President Donald Trump confirmed resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Four members of the supreme leader’s family were also killed in the strikes.
The joint military action came after weeks of tense talks over Iran’s nuclear program collapsed. The regime had refused to dismantle its nuclear capabilities, prompting the US to increase its military presence across the Middle East.
President Trump had previously warned Tehran that failure to reach a deal would carry serious consequences.
Israel later confirmed that the operation specifically targeted both the Supreme Leader and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Trump confirms strike and issues stark warning
In a video message posted to Truth Social shortly before 3:00AM, President Trump made his position clear.
“It’s a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump vowed.
He followed that with an uncompromising warning directed at Tehran, urging its leaders to “lay down your arms or face certain death.”
At the same time, the president is reportedly weighing immunity for supporters of the ayatollah, provided they agree to stop fighting.
The message from Washington was firm. The nuclear standoff had reached a breaking point, and the administration made clear it would not allow Iran to continue advancing its program.
Iran retaliates with missile and drone attacks
Iran responded swiftly.
Tehran warned that the “first wave of extensive missile and drone attacks” was underway across Israel, per the New York Post.
The situation intensified further when Iranian officials announced that attacks on US bases were being prepared. State media declared that Iran was ready to unleash what it described as "the most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran's armed forces."
The message, distributed by the semi-official Fars News Agency at approximately 6:15AM local time, or 9:15PM Saturday Eastern Time, warned: "The most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran's armed forces will begin toward the occupied territories and American terrorist bases in just moments."
US and Israeli officials now believe the military campaign inside Iran could stretch on for weeks.
Iranian leaders vow “devastating blows”
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, delivered a fiery televised address on Sunday, becoming the highest-ranking Iranian official to appear publicly since the strikes began.
He condemned the leaders of the United States and Israel as “filthy criminals” who would face “devastating blows” for what he described as ongoing attacks on the Islamic Republic.
“You have crossed our red line and must pay the price,” he said. “We will deliver such devastating blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg.”
Trump threatens unprecedented force if attacks continue
President Trump later took to Truth Social again, responding directly to reports that Iran planned to escalate its retaliation.
"Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!" Trump wrote. "Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP."