Trump Says Iran’s New Supreme Leader ‘Damaged’ After US-Israel Strikes

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Washington: Donald Trump, President of the United States, said he believes Mojtaba Khamenei, the new supreme leader of Iran, is “damaged” but “probably alive in some form” following recent US-Israeli strikes.

The remarks came after a message from Khamenei was broadcast on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Iran’s state television network.

According to Reuters, citing an unnamed Iranian official, Khamenei was lightly injured during joint US-Israeli attacks, though no further details have been confirmed.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump responded to Khamenei’s comments suggesting Iran could use the “lever of blocking” the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil shipping route.

The strategic waterway has already seen attacks on oil tankers and disruptions to shipping, pushing global energy prices higher. Brent crude has been trading close to $100 per barrel amid the tensions.

Trump warned that the US military campaign against Iran is intensifying. “They’ve been doing a lot of talking, so he’s going to have to put up,” he said, adding that US forces are “hitting them harder than anyone has been hit since World War Two.”