The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated on Tuesday that the U.S. armed forces have "total control over the skies of Iran" and threatened to kill Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The statement, published on his official Truth Social account, comes amid the military escalation between Israel and Iran and coincides with the Israeli government's request for direct support from Washington to attack Iranian underground nuclear facilities.
"We now have total control over the skies of Iran. Iran had good air trackers and other defensive equipment, and in abundance, but they don't compare to those made, conceived, and manufactured in the United States. Nobody does it better than the United States," wrote Trump.
Donald Trump, presidente de Estados Unidos.
Although the U.S. government hasn't officially carried out direct offensive operations on Iranian territory, the United States has increased its military presence in the region, deploying warships and fighter jets.
Additionally, minutes later, the U.S. president posted: "We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He's an easy target, but he's safe there. We're not going to eliminate him (kill him!), at least not for now. But we don't want missiles fired at civilians or U.S. soldiers. Our patience is running out. Thank you for your attention!"
Since last week, Israel has intensified its military campaign against strategic targets in Iran, in response to the dangerous progress of the Iranian nuclear program. The offensive, known as "Operation Rising Lion," has struck military bases, missile facilities, and command centers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
However, senior Israeli officials acknowledged that their own forces lack the technical capability to destroy certain critical targets, such as the Fordow uranium enrichment complex, a fortified facility built under a mountain.
Donald Trump, presidente de Estados Unidos.
For this reason, Israel has requested that the United States provide bunker-buster bombs (GBU-57A/B), also known as "Massive Ordnance Penetrators" (MOP), which can only be dropped from B-2 Spirit or B-21 Raider strategic bombers, both exclusively operated by the U.S. Air Force.
The delivery of this type of weaponry would mark a turning point in the conflict. According to defense analysts, MOPs can penetrate more than 197 feet (60 meters) of reinforced concrete, making them the only weapon capable of destroying nuclear facilities like Fordow without a ground invasion.
The possibility that the United States could intervene directly with strategic offensive capability is an option President Trump is considering, although, for now, he is seeking a diplomatic solution.
