Trump: We know where Iran’s leader is hiding — but won’t kill him for now

United States President Donald Trump has issued a string of Iran-related statements in quick succession while the Middle-Eastern country continues to trade missiles with Israel.

Speaking via his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, Trump said, “we now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran”.

“Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment and plenty of it, but it doesn’t compare to American-made, conceived, and manufactured ‘stuff.’ Nobody does it better than the good ol’ USA,” he said.

The Israeli military has been responsible for penetrating through Iran’s air defence system, but the US president used the collective pronoun throughout the posts boasting of other accomplishments.

“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” he added.

“But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The US has long provided Israel with military aid and equipment.

However, since the war began on Friday, its public position has been that the US is not involved in Israeli strikes on Iran.

Analysts say Trump’s posts give a very different impression from his claim of wanting peace in Iran.

Earlier, US Vice-President JD Vance said Trump “may decide he needs to take further action” to end Iran’s nuclear programme.

Vance praised Trump’s “restraint” in keeping the US military’s focus on protecting troops and civilians, adding that the president “is only interested in using the American military to accomplish American people’s goals”.

In his last successive post on Iran, the US president asked the Middle Eastern nation for “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”