U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to announce that the U.S. had begun “major combat operations” in Iran in this screengrab from a video released February 28, 2026.
| Photo Credit: TruthSocial/@Trump via Reuters
President Donald Trump said Sunday (March 1, 2026) the United States would hit Iran with “force that has never been seen before” if the country retaliated against U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Also read: Iran-Israel conflict live updates on March 1, 2026
“Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“They better not do that, however, because if they do, we will hit them with a force that has never been seen before!” Mr. Trump wrote in all capital letters.
He had earlier vowed no let-up in the strikes until the fall of the Islamic republic and urged security forces to stand down.
After the attack on Iran and the death of Mr. Khamenei, the country’s Parliament Speaker on Sunday (March 1, 2026) labelled the leaders of the United States and Israel “filthy criminals” who will face “devastating blows” for their ongoing attacks on the Islamic Republic.
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the comment in a televised address. “You have crossed our red line and must pay the price,” he said. “We will deliver such devastating blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg.”
Iranian state television confirmed Mr. Khamenei’s death early Sunday (March 1, 2026), hours after Mr. Trump announced the killing of the 86-year-old cleric he described as “one of the most evil people in History”.
Published – March 01, 2026 11:42 am IST
