Iran Vows Revenge as U.S.- Israel Bomb Iran; Trump Hints at Regime Change

(The Post News)- Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed to punish “the Zionist enemy” following coordinated U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend. Khamenei, breaking his silence since the attacks began, delivered his first public comments on Monday, promising retribution and vowing that Iran would not remain passive in the face of Western aggression. The strikes mark the most significant Western military action against Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and have ignited fears of a broader regional conflict.

The escalation came after the United States launched precision strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan alongside Israeli forces. According to U.S. military officials, the operation included 75 precision-guided munitions, including bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk missiles, aimed at crippling Iran’s underground nuclear infrastructure.

U.S. President Donald Trump celebrated the operation, declaring on his Truth Social platform that “monumental damage” had been done to Iran’s nuclear sites. “The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!” Trump wrote. He warned Iran against retaliation, suggesting that future strikes would be “far greater and a lot easier.”

In a more provocative tone, Trump raised the prospect of regime change in Tehran, stating: “If the current Iranian regime is unable to make Iran great again, why wouldn’t there be a regime change?”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded by calling the strikes “aggression” and promised retaliation. “The Americans must receive a response to their aggression,” he said. Iran later fired missiles at Israeli targets, wounding several and damaging infrastructure in Tel Aviv. However, Tehran has not yet acted on broader threats to strike U.S. military bases or close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil passage.

Iran claims that over 400 people have been killed and more than 3,000 wounded since Israel began its offensive on June 13. Israeli authorities say at least 24 people have died from Iranian retaliatory strikes.

Despite the military action, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed that there were no signs of off-site radiation leaks from the bombed facilities. However, a full assessment of the underground damage remains incomplete.

Behind the public saber-rattling, some analysts believe diplomacy may still be the endgame. Former White House National Security Council official Matthew Bryza told news media that Trump’s true objective could be to force Iran back to the negotiating table.

“Trump lost faith in the negotiating process and decided to use force. But at the end of the day, he wants an agreement,” Bryza said. “He wants to be seen as the diplomatic hero.” He added that while Trump may be posturing, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likely supports actual regime change in Tehran—a difference that could spark tension between the two allies.

“I am 100 percent convinced Trump does not want regime change in Tehran, but I’m also convinced Netanyahu does,” Bryza said. “I think we’re going to see big tension between Trump and Netanyahu, where Trump is likely to tell Netanyahu ‘enough’.”

Meanwhile, international leaders have called for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy, warning that any disruption of the Strait of Hormuz could derail the global economy and spark a larger war.

As Iran vows revenge and regional powers brace for the next move, the world waits to see whether diplomacy or destruction will prevail.