President Trump said on Tuesday that the US knows the location of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and that he wouldn’t be killed, at least for now.
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
In a follow-up post, Trump wrote, “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
The president’s threats toward Khamenei come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing for the Iranian leader’s assassination, claiming that killing him would “end the conflict.” Netanyahu was also a major proponent of taking out former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
The US appears poised to formally enter the Israel-Iran war by launching strikes on Iran, specifically the Fordow nuclear site, which is buried deep underground. According to Axios, Trump was holding a meeting of his national security team this afternoon where he could approve strikes.
The US has supported the Israeli offensive by providing weapons, intelligence, and helping intercept Iranian missiles and drones fired at Israel. So far, the US has not launched direct airstrikes on Iran, although Trump has hinted that the US has been involved in the offensive by saying “we” control the skies over Iran.
“We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran. Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn’t compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured ‘stuff.’ Nobody does it better than the good ol’ USA,” he wrote on Truth Social.
