Trump claims Mojtaba Khamenei is '90% gone' as US-Iran conflict intensifies
US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran's military has been effectively dismantled and that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of deceased Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran's military has been effectively dismantled and that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of deceased Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is "90% gone", even as Washington and Tehran continue to exchange attacks over the control of the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Trump said recent military operations in Iran had wiped out Tehran's military capabilities and much of its leadership. "They have no navy. They have no air force. It's all gone. Their anti-aircraft is gone. Their leaders have all been killed. Their best leaders have been killed," Trump said. "Khamenei is gone.
The son is 90% gone," Trump said, referring to Mojtaba Khamenei -- the new Supreme Leader of Iran. Mojtaba didn't attend father's funeral Mojtaba has not appeared in public since the US-Israeli strikes that killed his father in late February. His absence from his father's funeral further fuelled speculation over his health and whereabouts. According to Iranian state media, Mojtaba couldn't attend the funeral due to security concerns. He later issued a written message vowing to avenge his father's killing. Trump's remarks came as the United States and Iran exchanged another round of missile and drone attacks over the weekend, with the US President terming the ceasefire between the countries as "over".
The US has launched multiple rounds of strikes on Iranian military targets over the past week, while Iran has retaliated by targeting military installations, commercial shipping and US allies in the Gulf. Several Gulf states including Jordan and Bahrain reported intercepting projectiles fired from Iranian soil. Battle for control of Strait of Hormuz The nenewed conflict has also intensified the battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important maritime chokepoints through which nearly one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passes through. Moreover, Trump announced that the United States would reimpose what he called the "Iranian blockade" and begin charging commercial vessels for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared that the US would become the "GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT", saying countries using the waterway should compensate Washington for providing maritime security. "The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran," Trump wrote. He added that the United States would seek reimbursement through a 20% charge on cargo transiting the strait to cover the cost of safeguarding the route.
The BriefWire