President Donald Trump has expressed profound skepticism regarding Mojtaba Khamenei, the newly appointed Supreme Leader of Iran. Following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the onset of Operation Epic Fury, Trump asserted that the successor is unlikely to “live in peace.” The joint U.S. and Israeli military operations, which commenced on February 28, have reportedly yielded results that far exceed initial expectations according to administration officials.
In a stern warning issued via Truth Social, Trump threatened to strike the Iranian regime “twenty times harder” should Tehran attempt to obstruct the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. The President indicated that the United States is prepared to target critical infrastructure to ensure the nation could not be rebuilt, although he emphasized a preference for avoiding such total destruction. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reports that over 50 Iranian ships have already been destroyed within the first ten days of the campaign. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth provided an update on the “highly successful” campaign, noting that over 7,000 targets have been struck across Iran. The precision strikes have focused on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), ballistic missile sites, and naval facilities. Hegseth confirmed that Iran‘s air defenses have been effectively “flattened” and its defense industrial base—specifically factories for missiles and drones—has been overwhelmingly destroyed as the U.S. continues to apply overwhelming force.
