President Donald Trump confirmed that he has left standing orders for the US military to launch a massive retaliation against Iran in the event of his assassination, stating that he has been on Iran's target list for a long time. 'Just bomb them, literally, at levels they've never seen,' Trump said, according to a statement from the president.
In a statement released this evening (Friday, 19:12 Jerusalem), President Donald Trump confirmed that he has been on Iran's target list for years and reiterated his standing order for the US military to bomb Iran at unprecedented levels if he is assassinated. The remark echoes and amplifies claims he made earlier in the day.
The day's escalation began at 07:08 Jerusalem, when Trump first stated that he is Iran's 'number 1 target' (Amichai Stein/i24NEWS). By 07:08, reports emerged that he had instructed the US military to 'wipe out Iran' if killed, an account initially described as unverified. Trump then confirmed the directive in a New York Post interview, saying he had left instructions to 'bomb Iran at a level they have never seen' and denied a fresh assassination plot, contradicting a Wall Street Journal report. By 07:08, additional details appeared: Trump said he has been on Iran's 'list' for years, and that the US would 'bomb them at levels they've never seen before.' The Zioneer later reported on the 'wipe out Iran' directive at 17:40 and 18:30 Jerusalem, framing it as a confirmed standing order.
The threats come amid ongoing US–Iran nuclear negotiations. As The Zioneer reported earlier this week, Trump has warned that the US may be forced to 'militarily complete the job' against Iran, and has stated that the US military is on alert regarding Iran. The president has also threatened to respond to any Iranian attack with 20 times the force.
It remains unclear whether the new statement represents a fresh escalation or a reiteration of earlier remarks. The authenticity of the initial 'wipe out Iran' directive has been confirmed by Trump's own subsequent interviews.
6 developments
- DevelopingTrump says US agreed to continue talks with Iran, warns of 'bomb them at levels never seen' if assassinated
- DevelopingTrump says he is close to ordering strike on Iranian nuclear facilities
- StrongTrump Approves Strike Plan on Iran, Orders Execution from NATO Summit in Turkey
- DevelopingIran threatens decisive military response to US strikes, citing Trump deadline
Source and signal
- Internal intake