President Donald Trump on Tuesday openly revealed that the U.S. has precise intelligence on the whereabouts of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while simultaneously hinting at a potential military strike against Iran.
The announcement, made on his Truth Social platform, comes amid escalating tensions and ongoing Israeli military action against Iranian targets.
Sources close to the administration told Axios that Trump is “seriously considering” a military option, specifically the use of bunker-buster bombs against the deeply buried Fordow uranium enrichment facility. This consideration follows the expiration of a 60-day ultimatum Trump issued to Iran on April 12 regarding its nuclear program.
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In his cryptic Truth Social post, Trump declared, “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The chilling message, while stating no immediate intent to assassinate Khamenei, clearly indicated that Trump’s patience was “wearing thin.”
This revelation comes as Israel has already reportedly decapitated significant portions of Iranian military leadership, including Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Hossein Salami and the Ayatollah’s chief of staff, Gholamali Rashid, on June 12, followed by the killing of Rashid’s replacement, Ali Shadmani, in an airstrike earlier today.
The U.S. has reportedly been weighing whether to join Israel in striking Iran’s nuclear arsenal since the Israeli strikes began on June 12.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also not ruled out assassinating the Ayatollah, and Israel would likely require American bunker-buster bombs to effectively target Fordow’s underground facilities.
Trump is reportedly scheduled to meet with the National Security Council at 1 p.m. today to further discuss the potential strike, according to Axios.
Meanwhile, Iran has continued to launch retaliatory strikes against Israel, with recent reports from CNN indicating at least 24 fatalities in Israel and 224 in Iran.
Vice President JD Vance swiftly defended Trump’s stance in a lengthy post on X Tuesday, asserting the president’s “amazingly consistent” policy towards Iran’s nuclear program. Vance questioned Iran’s justification for enriching uranium “well above the threshold for civilian use” and for violating its non-proliferation obligations, commending Trump’s “remarkable restraint” in prioritizing the protection of U.S. troops and citizens.
The situation remains fluid, with the international community bracing for potential escalation in the Middle East as Trump’s administration weighs its next moves.
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