Iran is escalating its rhetoric as the United States and Israel continue an intense bombing campaign in the country.
On Tuesday, senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani appeared to threaten U.S. President Donald Trump, who has warned Iran that if it disrupts the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, the United States could strike targets that would make it "virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back" as a nation.
"Even those bigger than you couldn't eliminate Iran," he said. "Be careful not to get eliminated yourself."
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Iran has been accused of threatening the president's life in the past. Trump referenced those threats after airstrikes took out Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
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"I got him before he got me,"he told ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl. "They tried twice. Well I got him first."
Mojtaba Khamenei was named the new supreme leader after his father's death, suggesting Iran's stance toward the United States is unlikely to change dramatically.
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Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Tuesday would be the heaviest day of bombing so far in the campaign, which has now stretched beyond a week.
As the military campaign intensifies, Iran has been adapting its missile tactics. Iranian forces have been moving missiles out of hiding, launching them before they can be detected and returning them to concealment before U.S. or Israeli fighter jets can respond.
