‘1,000 missiles locked and loaded’: Trump warns Iran of massive retaliation over alleged assassination threats

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a fresh warning to Iran, claiming that thousands of missiles are prepared to target the country if Tehran acts on what he described as threats to assassinate him.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, President Trump said the US military was prepared for a large-scale response if any attempt was made against him.

“1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!” President Trump wrote.

He further warned of a prolonged military response, saying, “Orders have already been given, and the US Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one-year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran.”

President Trump’s remarks came after a funeral procession for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where reports emerged of anti-US slogans and alleged calls for the American President’s killing during the mourning events.

During one such procession, mourners reportedly passed beneath a bridge displaying a billboard featuring an image of President Trump with a bullet aimed at his head.

The latest exchange of threats adds to heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, with both sides trading strong statements amid renewed concerns over security and regional stability.

Meanwhile, US officials are examining Intelligence shared by Israel about a possible Iranian plot to assassinate President Trump, a warning that contributed to a decision to move him to an older and better-protected Air Force One during his return from Turkey, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

The newspaper reported that the Intelligence indicated a fresh Iranian plan to kill President Trump. Some US officials, however, did not consider the information entirely credible.

CNN reported that it involved more general discussion among hardliners in Tehran about killing the President rather than a specific plot.

The warning came as President Trump ordered renewed US strikes on Iran after Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation has raised concerns here that Tehran could retaliate against the US and its allies across the Middle East.

IANS