U.S. and Israel Claim Decisive Military Victory Over Islamic Republic

U.S. and Israel Claim Decisive Military Victory Over Islamic Republic

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have declared overwhelming military success against the Islamic Republic, claiming the near-total destruction of Iran's military capabilities and leadership structures. Extensive coverage by diaspora-based opposition networks Iran International and Vahid Online detailed the statements of American and Israeli leaders, alongside severe counter-threats from Tehran.

According to Trump, the U.S. has practically won the war, asserting that "the job was done in the first hour". Speaking to reporters, he claimed the U.S. military has disabled 58 Iranian Navy vessels, destroyed 31 minelayers, and reduced the Islamic Republic's missile capabilities by 90 percent and drone capabilities by 85 percent, according to Iran International. Trump stated that U.S. forces are now flying "freely" in Iranian airspace, noting the Islamic Republic is "almost at the end of the line" with no effective air defense or naval power remaining.

Both U.S. and Israeli leadership openly discussed the status of Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. Trump told Fox News that he believes Khamenei is injured but "probably alive." Meanwhile, Vahid Online reported that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu mocked Khamenei and Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, stating, "If it were up to me, I wouldn't issue them life insurance." Netanyahu labeled Khamenei a "puppet of the IRGC" and urged the Iranian people to rise up, claiming that ongoing Israeli airstrikes are designed to create the optimal conditions for regime change.

Despite the extensive bombardment, Trump stated the U.S. deliberately left critical infrastructure intact. He warned that the U.S. could knock out Iran's power grid "within an hour," an action he claimed would take 25 years to rebuild. He also assured global markets that the Strait of Hormuz is highly secure, encouraging oil companies to resume utilizing the waterway after U.S. forces targeted 28 Iranian naval mines.

In response to the U.S. and Israeli declarations, officials of the Islamic Republic issued stark warnings of regional escalation. According to Vahid Online, IRGC Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari threatened a "crushing and destructive response" to any attack on Iran's energy infrastructure or ports, vowing that all regional oil and gas infrastructure benefiting the U.S. and Western allies would be "burned and destroyed." Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani echoed this, threatening that the entire region would suffer a blackout "within half an hour" if Iran's power facilities are struck.