President Trump declared that the United States had "complete and total control of the skies over Iran" and insisted on Iran's unconditional surrender. He emphasized that while the U.S. knew the exact location of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it would not target him "for now," referring to him as an "easy target" . This rhetoric was accompanied by a substantial U.S. military buildup in the region, including the deployment of additional naval and air forces to support Israel and deter Iranian retaliation