US forces killed the Iranian unit leader who plotted to assassinate Donald Trump, Pentagon says, while Iran condemns Trump for dragging Americans into an “unfair war.”
In a striking development, US forces have killed the leader of an Iranian unit accused of plotting to assassinate US President Donald Trump, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth confirmed on Wednesday. “Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh,” Hegseth told reporters during a news conference at the Pentagon.
He added that US intelligence had long been aware of Iran’s intentions against Trump and other American officials.
“I ensured, and others ensured, that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list,” Hegseth said, while refraining from giving further operational details.
A Long-Standing Threat
Officials have accused Iran of plotting against Trump in retaliation for the US drone strike in 2020 that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in Iraq. While the assassination attempt was reportedly one factor considered in the president’s decision to engage in military action, Hegseth clarified that it was not the primary focus of US operations.
“The United States has known for a long time that Iran had intentions on trying to kill President Trump and or other US officials,” Hegseth said, highlighting the gravity of the threat.
Iran says Trump dragged American people into ‘unfair war’ with Iran
Meanwhile, Ali Larijani, Iran’s security chief, criticized the US president in a post on X.
“Mr. Trump, with Netanyahu’s clownish antics, dragged the American people into an unfair war with Iran,” Larijani wrote, signaling Tehran’s continued resentment over US military operations in the region.
Israel, initially planned to strike Iran in mid-2026
Israel had initially planned to strike Iran in mid-2026, but developments inside the Islamic republic and shifting regional dynamics brought the timetable forward to February, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday.
“An operation was planned for the middle of the year with the same target set,” Katz said in an address to military intelligence officials, according to a statement issued by his office.
“But due to developments and circumstances — mainly what happened inside Iran, the position of the US president and the possibility of creating a combined operation — it became necessary to move everything up to February.”
During mass anti-government protests in Iran in January, which were suppressed in a violent crackdown by security forces, Trump pledged support for demonstrators, declaring that the United States stood with the people of Iran.
Top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, made similar remarks, urging Iranians to rise up against the country’s clerical leadership.
(With inputs from AFP)