Tue Dec 30 13:54:39 UTC 2025: ## Trump Threatens Military Action if Iran Rebuilds Nuclear, Missile Programs

Washington, D.C. – U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, stating he would authorize military strikes if Tehran attempts to rebuild its nuclear program or long-range missile capabilities. The declaration comes amidst rising tensions following a devastating 12-day conflict in June and concerns from Israeli officials regarding Iran’s alleged efforts to replenish its missile stockpile.

Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Monday, Trump vowed to “knock the hell” out of Iran if it resumes developing nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles. “Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down,” Trump told reporters.

This marks a potential shift in U.S. policy, previously focused primarily on Iran’s nuclear program, towards also targeting its missile capabilities – a long-held Israeli objective. Iran has consistently maintained its nuclear activities are solely for civilian purposes, a claim previously supported by both U.S. intelligence and the UN’s nuclear watchdog prior to the June conflict. However, Israeli officials have recently expressed concerns that Iran is secretly rebuilding its ballistic missile stockpile.

In response to Trump’s threats, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a defiant message on social media, promising a “severe and regret-inducing” response to any aggression. He recently characterized the current situation as a “full-scale war” against the U.S., Israel, and Europe, viewing it as a more complex challenge than Iran’s war with Iraq in the 1980s.

The renewed threats come after a recent war in June that resulted in the deaths of over 1,100 Iranians and 28 Israelis. During the conflict, Israel launched nearly 360 strikes across 27 Iranian provinces, targeting military installations, nuclear facilities, and government buildings, reportedly destroying an estimated 1,000 Iranian ballistic missiles and killing over 30 senior military commanders and at least 11 nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated by firing over 500 missiles at Israel, with approximately 36 landing in populated areas.

While Trump claimed the strikes had “completely obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, experts remain skeptical, suggesting Tehran may have hidden stockpiles of enriched uranium and could resume production quickly.

Despite the damage inflicted during the June war, Iranian officials insist the country is now better prepared for confrontation, with its military forces reportedly “stronger in terms of equipment and manpower” than before the ceasefire. The conflict also failed to ignite internal unrest within Iran, contrary to expectations.

The rising tensions and escalating rhetoric between the U.S. and Iran are raising fears of renewed conflict in the region.

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