WASHINGTON/TEHRAN – US President Donald Trump issued stark ultimatum to Iran’s security forces: surrender immediately or face annihilation, as the Middle Eastern nation is reeling from new war that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In his video address after US military strikes, POTUS announced it had obliterated the headquarters of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, Trump warned, “Lay down your arms and receive full immunity, or face certain death. It won’t be pretty.”
The threat comes just day after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, a seismic event that plunged the Middle East into chaos and rattled global markets from oil to aviation. As uncertainty ripples through the world economy, Washington and Israel have intensified a sweeping military campaign against Tehran.
Trump predicted offensive would last about a month, calling it “a four-week process, or less.” Despite acknowledging Iran’s size and military depth, he projected confidence that the operation would be decisive.
As the conflict entered its second day, Trump claimed 48 Iranian leaders had already been killed. He also said U.S. forces had begun dismantling Iran’s naval power, sinking nine warships and “going after the rest.”
According to the Pentagon, American aircraft and warships have struck more than 1,000 targets since major combat operations began. Among the most dramatic strikes, B-2 stealth bombers unleashing 2,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on heavily fortified underground missile facilities.
After initially reporting no losses, the US military confirmed Sunday that three American service members were killed and five seriously wounded. United States Central Command said additional troops suffered minor shrapnel injuries and concussions, though it declined to reveal operational details.
Trump said US should brace for more deaths. “We expect casualties,” he said, while insisting the campaign would ultimately be “a great deal for the world.”
In Tehran, defiance was swift. Iran’s foreign minister declared that his country had studied U.S. military experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq and adjusted its strategy accordingly. “Bombings in our capital have no impact on our ability to conduct war,” he said.
With Khamenei gone, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that a temporary leadership council has assumed the duties of supreme leader.
CIA-shared Intel enabled Israeli Strike that Killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei, NYT claims
