Trump Claims U.S. Control Over Iranian Airspace, Says Country’s Supreme Leader Will Not Be Killed “For Now”

President of the United States, Donald Trump, has made bold claims that the U.S. military has taken full control of Iranian airspace, escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. In a series of posts on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Trump asserted that Iran’s Supreme Leader is a visible target but remains unharmed — “for now.”

Trump’s first post simply read, “unconditional surrender,” hinting at pressure being mounted on Iran’s leadership. He later wrote:

> “We know exactly where the so-called supreme leader is hiding. He is an easy target but is safe there. We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

He followed up with another declaration:

> “We now have complete and total control of the skies in Iran. Iran had a good sky trackers and defensive equipment, and plenty of it but it does not compare to American made, conceived and manufactured stuff. Nobody does it better than the USA.”

The former president did not provide any evidence to support his statements, nor have any military agencies confirmed a shift in air dominance over Iran. Nonetheless, his posts have sparked serious concern and speculation, especially due to the direct threat implied toward Iran’s highest-ranking official.

Iranian authorities have not issued a formal response, but some affiliated media outlets have accused Trump of engaging in “psychological warfare” and deliberately heightening tensions. Trump’s rhetoric is consistent with his earlier confrontational stance toward Iran during his previous term, which included ordering a drone strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in 2020.

Military analysts have warned that such provocative language—especially public threats directed at national leaders—could lead to miscalculation or unintended escalation. Some suggest Trump’s comments may be a political move to project strength amid ongoing conflict in the region and during an election year at home.

While the accuracy of Trump’s claims remains unverified, his words have reintroduced volatility into the already tense U.S.-Iran dynamic and raised alarms across diplomatic and security circles.

Togo on Monday suspended French broadcasters RFI and France 24 for three months, the media regulator said, accusing both of transmitting “inexact and tendentious” content.

“Several recent broadcasts relayed inaccurate, biased, and even factually incorrect statements, undermining the stability of republican institutions and the country’s image,” Togo’s High Authority of Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) said in a statement.

Togolese opposition parties and civil society groups on Thursday demanded Gnassingbe step down, urging a civil disobedience campaign following last week’s youth-led demonstrations.

He “must return power to the Togolese people to whom national sovereignty belongs”, the National Alliance for Change (ANC), Democratic Forces for the Republic (FDR) and civil society groups said in a statement.

The groups urged citizens to launch acts of civil disobedience from June 23 to thwart the “illegitimate” regime.

Protests have been banned in Togo since 2022, following a deadly attack at Lome’s main market, though public meetings are still allowed.

Bloodbath in Benue: Amnesty International Calls on Nigerian Government to End Killings, Prosecute Perpetrators

The global human rights watchdog, Amnesty International, has issued a strong call to the Nigerian authorities to urgently halt the ongoing bloodshed in Benue State, following the recent massacre of over 100 people in Yelewata community.

According to Amnesty, the attack, which began late Friday, June 13, and continued into the early hours of Saturday, June 14, 2025, is yet another stark reminder that the Nigerian government’s security strategy in the state is failing.

“The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelewata… shows the security measures government claims to be implementing in the state are not working,” Amnesty International said in a statement.

Survivors of the attack recount a night of unimaginable horror. Many families, according to eyewitnesses, were locked inside their homes and set ablaze. Charred remains of victims, including children and elderly residents, littered the community by dawn. Dozens of others sustained life-threatening injuries, many of whom are yet to receive adequate medical attention. Scores are still missing, raising fears that the actual death toll may rise significantly in the coming days.

The attack on Yelewata is just the latest in a disturbing pattern of deadly violence sweeping across Benue State in recent years. Amnesty International said it has been documenting the increasing frequency and brutality of attacks carried out by gunmen, often referred to locally as bandits or unidentified armed herders.

“These killings have been carried out with utter impunity,” the organization said. “The Nigerian authorities’ failure to stem the violence is costing people their lives and livelihoods.”

The organization warned that if the federal government continues to treat these attacks with what it described as “institutional indifference,” the crisis could deepen further.

Amnesty expressed particular concern about the impact of the violence on the region’s already fragile food security. Most of the victims of the attacks are rural farmers, whose displacement is already disrupting agricultural activities across several local government areas in the state.

“Massive displacement caused by the attacks is threatening the livelihoods of thousands and may worsen the food crisis,” the organization warned.

In Yelewata, residents described how attackers stormed the village in large numbers, wielding firearms, machetes, and petrol bombs. Local sources said the assault was carried out with a level of coordination that suggests a premeditated plan and, possibly, external support or internal sabotage.

One eyewitness told reporters that the attackers moved from house to house, shooting indiscriminately and setting buildings on fire. “People were screaming, begging for their lives, but the gunmen didn’t care. They set homes ablaze with people inside,” the witness said.

Despite these repeated atrocities, Amnesty noted that little to no progress has been made in bringing the perpetrators to justice. Communities remain vulnerable, with little protection from law enforcement or the military.

“The Nigerian authorities must immediately end the almost daily bloodshed in Benue state and bring the actual perpetrators to justice,” Amnesty’s statement read.

The human rights body called for an independent investigation into the Yelewata massacre and previous attacks in the region. It emphasized the need for transparency, justice for victims, and accountability for those who fail in their duty to protect the citizens.

The Benue State Government has yet to provide a full casualty figure or comment on the latest killings at the time of this report. However, community leaders and civil society organizations have continued to raise the alarm, urging both state and federal governments to act swiftly.

Security experts and analysts have long warned that the Nigerian government’s reactive approach to violence in the Middle Belt region is unsustainable. Without a proactive, intelligence-led strategy that addresses both immediate security concerns and the underlying issues—such as land use conflicts, displacement, and ethnic tensions—the violence is likely to escalate further.

Meanwhile, families in Yelewata are left to mourn their dead, search for the missing, and piece together what remains of their shattered lives. For them, justice seems like a distant hope in a nation where impunity has often been the rule rather than the exception.

Amnesty International’s renewed appeal places the spotlight once more on President Bola Tinubu’s administration and its commitment to ending insecurity in the country. As communities continue to count their dead, all eyes will be on Abuja—waiting to see if action will follow this time.