The US says its forces killed the leader of an Iranian unit allegedly involved in a plot to assassinate President Donald Trump.
Washington: The United States has confirmed that its forces killed the leader of an Iranian unit allegedly involved in a plot to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.
Speaking at a press conference at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Hegseth said the US had long been aware of Iran’s intentions to target Trump and other American officials. “Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh,” he said while addressing reporters.
Hegseth explained that while the assassination plot was not the primary reason behind recent US military operations, individuals connected to the attempt were eventually included in the list of targets. He added that Trump himself never raised the issue as a reason for launching the operation.
“I ensured, and others ensured, that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list,” Hegseth stated, though he did not reveal the name of the Iranian unit leader or further operational details.
US officials have previously accused Iran of planning attacks against Trump as retaliation for the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani, a senior military commander, was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq in January 2020 during Trump’s presidency.
The strike significantly escalated tensions between Washington and Tehran at the time, and US intelligence agencies have since warned about possible Iranian retaliation targeting current and former American officials.
Source : Gulf News
Image Source : AI Generated
