Iran tells 'Mr Trump the gambler' it will end the war the US started

Iran has issued a stark warning following US airstrikes on its nuclear facilities, declaring that the scope of legitimate targets for its military has now widened. The Islamic Republic also denounced US President Donald Trump, branding him a "gambler" for aligning with Israel's offensive against Tehran.

Ebrahim Zolfaqari, speaking on behalf of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya central military command, cautioned Washington that it would bear the weight of severe repercussions.

“Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it,” Zolfaqari stated in English, closing a pre-recorded video message.

The latest confrontation marks a grave escalation, as Iran and Israel exchange missile and air strikes while global leaders brace for further fallout from the US assault on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure — a move Trump has suggested could precipitate regime change in Tehran.

Though the full extent of the damage remains uncertain, commercial satellite imagery appears to show that the Fordow nuclear plant, buried deep underground, suffered substantial destruction. The site, which housed uranium-enrichment centrifuges, may have been crippled, though experts have yet to verify the extent.

In a celebratory post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed: “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran. The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!”

The former president also warned Tehran against retaliating, insisting the Iranian leadership “must now make peace” or face “far greater and a lot easier” future strikes—remarks that have deepened fears of wider conflict across the Middle East.

According to General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. launched 75 precision-guided weapons, including bunker-busters and over two dozen Tomahawk missiles, targeting three key nuclear sites.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that there had been no observed spike in off-site radiation levels. However, Director General Rafael Grossi told CNN that the extent of underground damage could not yet be fully assessed.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that most of the highly enriched uranium stored at Fordow had already been relocated prior to the strikes. Reuters was unable to independently verify this claim.

On Sunday, President Trump openly raised the prospect of regime change in Iran in the wake of the attacks. Tehran, which maintains that its nuclear ambitions are purely peaceful, retaliated with a missile barrage on Israel, leaving dozens injured and damaging infrastructure in Tel Aviv.

However, Iran has so far refrained from targeting U.S. bases or obstructing the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply flows. Such a move could destabilise the global economy and provoke direct conflict with the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, stationed in Bahrain.

Global oil markets reacted sharply. Brent crude rose by $1.11 (1.44 per cent) to $78.12 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate climbed $1.08 (1.45 per cent) to $74.87 as of 0653 GMT on Monday — its highest level since January.