Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday threatened the United States with "irreparable damage" if Washington intervenes militarily in the widening conflict between Israel and Iran. The warning follows intensified airstrikes by Israeli warplanes on Tehran and increasing speculation that the U.S. may join the offensive.
"Any American military entry will undoubtedly be met with irreparable damage," Khamenei said in remarks carried by Iranian state media. "The Iranian people will firmly stand against an imposed war, just as they will stand firm against any imposed peace. This nation will never surrender to imposition from anyone."
The comments came just hours after President Donald Trump signaled frustration over Iran's defiance, warning that "the patience of the U.S. is wearing thin." On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, "We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now," referring to Khamenei, but reiterated his demand for Tehran's "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!"
Khamenei, in a separate statement read on state television, responded directly to Trump's comments. "The Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage," he said. "Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation, and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender."
The escalation follows Israel's largest air assault on Tehran in decades. Israeli military officials said 50 warplanes struck 20 sites overnight, including facilities tied to Iran's missile production infrastructure. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Wednesday that two centrifuge production facilities were damaged.
Thousands of residents fled Tehran on Wednesday amid fears of further attacks. Iranian officials have warned the United States against direct involvement. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, has reportedly conveyed that Tehran would retaliate against the U.S. for any direct participation and views Washington as complicit in Israel's actions, according to media accounts.
A source familiar with White House deliberations said the Trump administration is weighing multiple options, including joining Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear assets. The administration has not confirmed any final decision.
The White House has maintained that it was not involved in the initial hostilities but has been actively pursuing a new agreement on Iran's nuclear program. Talks have so far produced no breakthrough.
The conflict has roiled markets amid fears of broader instability in the oil-rich region. Gold prices have risen as investors seek safe-haven assets. European leaders, speaking from the G7 summit, have offered mixed reactions. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz remarked that Israel is "the dirty work" for the Western world, according to comments carried by German outlet ZDF.
