Iran attempted to assassinate US President Donald Trump, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has alleged. He also claimed that US forces had carried out an operation targeting and killing the senior commander of the Iranian unit involved in the alleged plot.

Hegseth made the remarks on Wednesday (February 4) during a press briefing at the Pentagon, where he discussed the latest developments in the ongoing war between Iran and the United States.

He said the leader of the Iranian unit responsible for planning and attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump had been tracked down and killed on Tuesday.

“Iran tried to kill Trump, but the last laugh belongs to him,” Hegseth said.

During the briefing, the US secretary of war issued a stern warning to Iran. He vowed retaliation for the deaths of four American service members killed in Iranian drone and rocket attacks. Highlighting US military superiority, he said an American submarine had sunk an Iranian warship that had considered itself safe in international waters.

“This was never a fair fight, and it never will be. They are losing. The biggest strikes are yet to come. We have only just begun,” he added.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the ongoing war between Iran and the US-Israeli alliance continues to rise.

Iran’s state-run Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs reported that at least 1,045 people had been killed in Iran as of Wednesday. The figures include only those victims who had been identified and whose bodies had been prepared for burial.

On the fifth day of the war, the United States and Israel launched major airstrikes on Tehran and several other Iranian cities. Israeli forces have primarily targeted Iran’s leadership and security forces. In response, Iran has continued missile and drone attacks against Israel and other areas across the region.