Hours after US President Donald Trump declared that the United States had conducted a "very successful attack" on three Iranian nuclear sites, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a stern warning, stating that "Americans should expect greater damage and blows than ever before."
"Americans should expect greater damage and blows than ever before," said Khamenei.
Iranian state television has also warned Trump that every American citizen or military personnel in West Asia is now a target. "The US has committed a crime against Iran by violating Iran’s airspace. It has no place in the West Asian region. Mr. President of the United States, you started it and we will end it," said the Iranian broadcaster, while displaying a graphic of US bases in the region.
Any retaliation will be met with far greater force: Trump's warning to Iran
Responding to Khamenei's threat, US President Donald Trump issued a strong warning, stating that any Iranian retaliation would be met with a "far greater" force. Trump took to social media after his address to the nation to issue a stark warning to Iran, vowing overwhelming retaliation if Iran responds with force. "ANY RETALIATION BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL BE MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT. THANK YOU! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Earlier, addressing the nation, Trump had said that Iran would face more military strikes unless it makes peace. Trump called Iran 'the bully of the Middle East' and warned of additional attacks if it didn't make peace. "If they do not, future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier," Trump said at the White House after the bombings of Iran’s nuclear facilities were announced earlier.
Trump portrayed the strike as a response to a long-festering problem, even if the objective was to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. "For 40 years, Iran has been saying death to America, death to Israel. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs," Trump said.
US attacks three Iranian nuclear sites
This comes after Trump said that the US military has carried out airstrikes on three nuclear sites in Iran. He said the American planes "completed a very successful attack" on Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear sites in Iran. This marked the first direct involvement of the US military in the ongoing conflict alongside Israel.
"We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. "A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow."
Netanyahu welcomes US strikes
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump's decision to attack in a video message directed to the American president. "Your bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities, with the awesome and righteous might of the United States, will change history," he said.
Netanyahu said the US "has done what no other country on earth could do".
Also Read: Israel-Iran conflict Live: Trump says Iran's key nuclear sites 'completely obliterated' by strikes
Also Read: US attacks three Iranian nuclear sites, Trump says 'now is time for peace'