Overview
- In a Truth Social post, the president said there will be no deal with Iran short of unconditional surrender and pledged economic reconstruction only after the selection of a “great & acceptable” new leadership, invoking “Make Iran Great Again.”
- Trump said he wants to be involved in choosing Iran’s next leader, called Mojtaba Khamenei unacceptable, and told CNN he could support a religious leader who treats the U.S. and Israel well.
- Operation Epic Fury entered its seventh day with U.S. and Israeli strikes hitting targets in Tehran and Beirut as Iran launched new missile and drone attacks across Gulf states, following opening strikes that multiple reports say killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said some countries have begun mediation efforts to end the conflict, but Trump’s surrender demand undercuts prospects for near‑term negotiations.
- At least six U.S. service members have been killed in retaliatory strikes, and Trump has said deploying American ground troops to Iran is not currently under consideration.