Donald Trump gave the clearest sign yet America will pile in behind Israel in its war on Iran saying: “Our patience is wearing thin.”
The US president demanded the nuclear-hungry rouge state’s Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” ominously warning his forces were holding off on assassinating Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “for now.”
Mr Trump issued his strongest threat yet to the basket case state on his platform Truth Social in which he hinted at mounting a massively aggressive stance as he weighs up whether to four-square back Israel and fully commit to a conflict in the Middle East.
He said: “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.
“But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”
Mr Trump initially dismissed taking out an Israeli plot to kill Khamenei vetoing an assassination attempt but now appears to have come round.
In a subsequent two-word post minutes later, he wrote: “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.”
Earlier, the president claimed: “We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,” apparently referencing the US-made equipment used by Israel.
Meanwhile, the Israeli air force has started a fresh wave of attacks in Iran.
The US has closed its embassy in Jerusalem while Iran has issued an evacuation warning in Tel Aviv.
At least 585 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Iran, while 1,326 have been wounded, latest figures from US-based The Human Rights Activists suggest.
Iran claims the toll to be significantly higher claiming 224 people have been killed and 1,277 others wounded.
Mr Trump’s stance comes after a series of frantic meetings with US national security advisers and as fighting between Iran and Israel enters a sixth day.
Tehran has denied it is secretly developing weapons of mass destruction claiming its nuclear programme was for domestic purposes. Israel ordered Operation Rising Lion because it believed it was “bringing us to the brink of nuclear war”.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu assassinating Khamenei would end the conflict in an instant, saying: “It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict.
“The ‘forever war’ is what Iran wants, and they’re bringing us to the brink of nuclear war. In fact, what Israel is doing is preventing this, bringing an end to this aggression, and we can only do so by standing up to the forces of evil.”