On Friday, 10th July, US President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning to Iran, saying the US military is fully prepared to strike if the Iranian government carries out or even attempts an assassination against him. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that “1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded” and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran. He added that thousands more missiles would immediately follow if such a threat became real.
Trump also said that orders have already been given to the US military. According to him, American forces are “ready, willing, and able” for a period of one year, with the option to extend it if needed. He claimed the military could “completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran” if the country acted on what he described as repeated threats against his life.
Warning comes after rising tensions
The warning came after the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where public calls for Trump’s killing were heard. At the same time, a report by The Wall Street Journal said Israel had shared intelligence with the United States, claiming that Iran had developed a new plan to assassinate the US president.
Trump had earlier said that the ceasefire with Iran was “over.” However, Washington later agreed to continue talks after Tehran requested further discussions, even as tensions between the two countries remained high.
US seeks assurance on the Strait of Hormuz
Alongside the military warning, senior US officials asked Iran to publicly declare that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and that ships passing through the waterway would not face attacks. The US wants Tehran to confirm safe passage for international shipping through the strategic route.
Iran has not made such a public statement. Instead, it has maintained that the strait should remain under its control and that it should be allowed to charge ships using the passage. This goes against the long-standing international practice of treating the Strait of Hormuz as an international waterway.
The latest developments come after several days of US air strikes on Iranian targets and Iranian retaliatory attacks across parts of the Middle East. The escalation began after Iran attacked three ships in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, pushing tensions between Washington and Tehran to a new level.
