Iranian General Threatens to Kill Trump and Netanyahu as Middle East Tensions Escalate

Senior Iranian military official General Seyed Majid Mousavi issued a direct threat against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump on Thursday during an interview with Iran's Tasnim News Agency.

The Iranian general declared that even killing "ten crazy Trumps" and "child-eating Netanyahus" would not be sufficient revenge for the death of the "martyred imam."

"I swear that even killing ten crazy Trumps and child-eating Netanyahus would not be equal to avenging a single finger of the martyred imam," Mousavi said. "The imam's blood is the blood of God, and the generals and I have organized to avenge him. We are determined to carry this out at the time God has appointed for us."

Mousavi went on to explicitly threaten both leaders, declaring: "You will witness us kill Trump. You will witness us kill Netanyahu. These two weak men will be removed from the stage of life, God willing."

Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that Tehran would retaliate against both Israel and the United States if Israel launched military action independently. "If Israel decides to launch a war on its own, our response will target both the United States and Israel," he said.

Merchant Ship Attacked as US Naval Deployment Faces Possible Extension

Amid the heightened regional tensions, a British maritime security company reported Thursday afternoon that a merchant vessel had been attacked approximately 14 nautical miles off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. A fire broke out in the ship's engine room, but no injuries were reported.

Separately, MSNOW reported that senior US Navy officials had warned families of sailors serving aboard the USS George H.W. Bush, currently deployed in the Middle East, to prepare for the possibility that the aircraft carrier's mission could be extended by several months as the naval blockade of Iran continues.

According to the report, officials informed families that Iranian attacks have repeatedly targeted US vessels enforcing the blockade, making it unlikely that their loved ones would return home for the holidays.

The potential extension would mark the second time the carrier strike group's deployment has been prolonged since its departure from Norfolk, Virginia, on March 31. The mission was originally scheduled to last between six and seven months.