President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran's leadership, threatening that the United States military is prepared to "hit very hard" as the country is rocked by widespread civil unrest and a climbing death toll.
Trump's Social Media Ultimatum and Military Planning
Taking to his Truth Social platform on Saturday, the US President explicitly aligned America with the protestors, declaring that Iran is "looking for FREEDOM, perhaps like never before" and asserting that the "USA stands ready to help!!!". This public post was followed by reports from US officials to the Wall Street Journal confirming that the Trump administration has held preliminary discussions about launching large-scale aerial assaults on multiple Iranian military targets.
While insiders described this as part of routine contingency planning, it represents the most concrete indication to date that Washington is seriously weighing direct intervention. The President later amplified his stance, resharing a post from Senator Lindsey Graham which stated "Help is on the way" to the Iranian people and used the phrase "Make Iran Great Again".
Protests and a War of Words Intensify
The threats come against a backdrop of severe domestic turmoil within Iran. Demonstrations, initially sparked by soaring living costs and anger at the clerical leadership, have turned deadly. At least 65 people have been killed, including 50 protesters, with reports this week alone indicating the total number of dead has surpassed 200.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, launched a fierce counter-accusation against President Trump, claiming the American leader has "hands stained with the blood of Iranians". Khamenei alleged that "terrorists are ruining their own streets … in order to please the president of the United States".
A Clear Signal of Escalating Tensions
The exchange marks a significant and dangerous escalation in rhetoric between the two nations. Speaking earlier last week aboard Air Force One, Trump set a clear condition for action, stating: "We're watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they're going to get hit very hard by the United States."
This stance has been echoed by other senior US figures. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X that "The United States supports the brave people of Iran", further cementing the administration's public support for the protest movement. Analysts fear that the combination of explicit presidential threats, internal Iranian violence, and overt backing for regime opposition creates a highly volatile situation with a real risk of miscalculation and direct confrontation.
