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3. Trump Warns of “Overwhelming Force” if Iran Carries Out Assassination Threats

President Trump escalated his rhetoric against Iran on Wednesday, vowing to respond with crippling force in the event that assassination attempts are carried out against him or other U.S. officials.

Speaking to the press, Trump stated that “if anything happens, the whole country is going to blow up. I will hit them so hard, and I have given very clear directives on this – we are simply going to wipe them off the face of the Earth.” He said that he has instructed the U.S. military to be prepared for this scenario.

Trump’s remarks followed reports that U.S. intelligence had uncovered alleged Iranian assassination plots targeting Trump and other senior U.S. officials.

During the apex of the protests in Iran, the Trump administration considered the option of military intervention in Iran to enact regime change. However, this discourse did not translate into direct and concrete action. 

Nevertheless, Trump has not ruled out the possibility of directly targeting the Islamic Republic, continuing the release of statements that suggest a shift in policy away from “maximum pressure” to instead being open to intervening directly in Iran. 

Countries around the Middle East are keeping a close eye on the increased tensions and escalatory rhetoric between the U.S. and Iran in the face of a potential conflict. Both Israeli and U.S. forces are on heightened alert, and other states in the region also remain vigilant.

Israeli airlines operating out of Tel Aviv have reiterated on Wednesday that they have outlined contingency plans to prepare their fleets for evacuation to avoid missile threats against the airport in the case of a war. No instructions have been issued by the Israeli government, but the release of this statement sheds light on regional alertness towards the possibility of military escalation.