US Strikes Iran as Tehran Vows Revenge for Khamenei

The United States military launched a series of precision strikes against Iran on July 15, 2026, targeting command centers, air defense systems, and missile capabilities. Donald Trump authorized these operations, which focused on Bandar Abbas, Greater Tunb Island, and coastal surveillance facilities to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials reported that the strikes also hit areas near a cancer hospital in Ahvaz and a fish powder factory in Qeshm.

These escalations follow the assassination of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during 'Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury.' In response, new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed that revenge for his father's killing would be carried out. Iranian authorities installed provocative billboards and murals in Tehran's Enghelab and Revolution Squares depicting the US president in a coffin with slogans calling for his death.

President Trump responded via Truth Social, warning that the U.S. would decimate and destroy all areas of Iran if any assassination attempt were made on his life. US intelligence agencies are treating a specific plot against Trump as credible, which led to his early departure from a NATO summit in Turkey. Amidst these tensions, a drone exploded near the U.S. Consulate in Erbil, Iraq, on Wednesday, shortly after Trump met with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to discuss security and the influence of armed militias.