Donald Trump warned that Iran would face “total obliteration” if it retaliates for the killing of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint U.S.-Israeli operation, escalating tensions in the Middle East and raising concerns about a wider regional conflict.
The strikes, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” targeted Iran’s missile and nuclear infrastructure on Saturday, February 28, 2026, according to President Trump. “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that the objective was “to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.” The operation culminated in the death of Khamenei, 86, in missile strikes around Tehran, a death confirmed by Iranian state media.
At least 153 people, including children, were reportedly killed when a strike hit a school in Minab, according to initial reports. Iran responded with retaliatory strikes targeting Israel and Gulf states, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait. The BBC reported at least nine people were killed in a strike on the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh. Military and civilian sites were hit, including an American naval base in Bahrain and Dubai International Airport in the UAE, leading to widespread airport closures and leaving thousands stranded.
Amid fears of further escalation, attention has focused on the possibility of assassination attempts against President Trump. A clip from February 2025 resurfaced, showing Trump responding to a question about potential Iranian or proxy attempts on his life. “That would be a terrible thing for them to do,” Trump said. “Not given that of me, if they did that they would be obliterated… That would be the finish.” He claimed to have “left instructions” for such a scenario, warning that “nothing left” of Iran would remain.
In a NewsNation interview, Trump was even more direct: “I have very firm instructions – anything happens, they’re going to wipe them off the face of this earth.” He framed the operation in personal terms during a phone call with ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl late Sunday, stating, “I got him before he got me,” referring to Khamenei. Trump claimed Iran had made two previous attempts on his life.
According to the New York Post, Trump also asserted that the strikes had eliminated potential successors to Khamenei. “It’s not going to be anybody that we were thinking of because they’re all dead,” he predicted, acknowledging the conflict could last “four or five more weeks” and confirming four U.S. Military members had been killed. He described Khamenei as “one of the most evil people in history.”
Iran had previously threatened retaliation against Trump following the 2020 U.S. Killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. In 2024, Trump survived two alleged assassination attempts, including a shooting incident at a rally and an armed threat while golfing in Florida. U.S. Authorities later charged Farhad Shakeri, described as an “Iranian asset,” in connection with an alleged Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-linked plot to kill Trump. The Justice Department alleged that an IRGC official ordered Shakeri to surveil and assassinate Trump during the 2024 campaign, with the timing dependent on the election outcome.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously claimed in June 2025 that Iran orchestrated two failed attempts on Trump’s life, attributing them to proxies and Iranian intelligence.
While Iran does not currently possess missiles capable of reaching the continental United States, security analysts note that potential retaliation could arrive through covert or proxy operations. The President of the United States remains heavily protected, with layered air defense, intelligence monitoring, and rapid military response capabilities.
Should President Trump die in office, Vice President JD Vance would immediately assume the presidency. At 41, he would become the youngest U.S. President in history. He would then appoint a new vice president, subject to congressional approval, and form his own cabinet.
The U.S.-Israeli operation followed weeks of rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear program. Iran maintains its nuclear activities are “entirely peaceful,” while Israel has stated the objective of the strikes was to “remove threats against the State of Israel.” The coming weeks will determine whether the confrontation stabilizes or expands further, with Trump signaling readiness for continued military engagement and reiterating his warning of total destruction in response to any attempt on his life.