President Donald Trump criticized Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader during an interview with Trey Yingst of Fox News. The appointment followed the reported death of Mojtaba’s father, Ali Khamenei, who was allegedly killed in an airstrike at the beginning of the military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury.
Trump said he doubts Mojtaba Khamenei will be able to “live in peace” while leading Iran under current circumstances. He also claimed that the results of U.S. and Israeli military actions in Iran have exceeded early expectations. In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that Iran would face retaliation “twenty times harder” if it attempted to disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. He added that the United States could strike targets that would make it extremely difficult for Iran to rebuild militarily, though he said he hopes the conflict does not escalate to that point.
U.S. and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28. According to United States Central Command, more than 5,000 locations have been targeted so far, including command centers, intelligence facilities, and bases linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States is maintaining an “overwhelming and unrelenting focus” as the operation continues. He also warned that Russia should avoid involvement in the conflict.
