Trump ‘Not Happy’ With Khamenei’s Son As Choice of New Iran Leader

President Donald Trump criticized Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in an airstrike at the start of Operation Epic Fury. In an interview with Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, Trump said he does not believe Mojtaba Khamenei “can live in peace” under the current circumstances. He also stated that U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran have already exceeded expectations in terms of early results.

In a Truth Social post, Trump warned that Iran would face retaliation “twenty times harder” if it attempted to interfere with oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. He added that the United States could strike targets that would make it extremely difficult for Iran to rebuild, although he said he hopes the conflict does not escalate that far.

Operation Epic Fury, launched on February 28 by U.S. and Israeli forces, has targeted more than 5,000 locations across Iran, according to U.S. Central Command. The strikes have focused on military infrastructure such as command centers, IRGC headquarters, air defense systems, missile sites, and naval facilities.

Officials say American forces continue to conduct intense operations, while Iran’s missile launches have decreased as its military capabilities are weakened.