A chilling image of Donald Trump's head in flames has been shared by Iranian media following missile strikes at a US airbase today as tensions continue to ratchet up.
Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a US military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites but indicating it was prepared to step back from escalating tensions in the volatile region. The US was warned by Iran in advance, and there were no casualties, said Trump, who dismissed the attack as a “very weak response.”
“Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
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But now Iran News Agency, officially licensed by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, has shared a picture of Trump on the end of a matchstick with his head in flames and burning a US flag. The Arabic agency states in English: "The reckoning. It won't be long before you pay for what you've done."
It is a very different tone to that expressed by Trump who has been writing on Truth Social about what he sees as a successful Middle East intervention stating "congratulations world, it's time for peace."
Qatar condemned the attack on the US' Al Udeid Air Base attack, but said it successfully intercepted the short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
Iran said the volley matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas.
Those comments, made immediately after the attack, suggested Iran wanted to de-escalate with the United States, something Trump himself said after the strikes early Sunday on Iran.
Trump said that Iran might be able to "now proceed to Peace and Harmony" and said he would encourage Israel to do the same. However, Israel's war on Iran continued, with the its military expanding its campaign on Monday to target sites symbolic for the country's theocracy.
Iran announced the attack on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it "a mighty and successful response" to "America's aggression."
Qatar's Foreign Ministry said the attack by Iran's Revolutionary Guards was "a flagrant violation of Qatar's sovereignty, its airspace, and international law." Al Udeid is also home to the Combined Air Operations Center, which provides command and control of air power across the region, as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest such wing in the world.
Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: "We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer." The retaliation came a day after the US launched a surprise attack Sunday morning on three of Iran's nuclear sites.
