WASHINGTON — The United States says it has killed the head of an Iranian military unit accused of planning a 2024 assassination attempt against President Donald Trump, marking a dramatic turn in the growing military conflict between Washington and Tehran.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the operation during a Pentagon briefing on March 4, saying American forces targeted and killed the commander as part of the ongoing campaign known as Operation Epic Fury.
Hegseth said the man led a unit that had allegedly plotted to kill Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.
“The leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed,” Hegseth said. “Iran tried to kill President Trump and President Trump got the last laugh.”
US officials identified the target as Rahman Mokadam, also reported as Rahman Makdem, a commander within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps special operations division. According to US intelligence, Mokadam coordinated a network tasked with targeting high profile American figures, including Trump.
The strike took place on March 3 during a wave of US airstrikes on Iranian military sites.
Alleged assassination plot
US authorities first revealed the alleged plot in November 2024 when the Justice Department filed charges against several suspects linked to the Iranian government.
Investigators accused 51 year old Iranian national Farhad Shakeri of organizing surveillance on Trump under instructions from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Shakeri was believed to be operating from Iran.
Prosecutors said he recruited two men in New York — Carlisle Rivera and Jonathon Loadholt — to assist in the operation. The suspects faced charges that included murder for hire, conspiracy, money laundering and terrorism related offenses.
Shakeri reportedly told investigators he had been asked in October 2024 to develop a plan to assassinate Trump. However he later claimed he had no intention of carrying out the attack within the timeline given.
Iran has repeatedly denied any involvement in plots targeting American leaders and dismissed the accusations as propaganda.
Trump also survived two separate assassination attempts in 2024 that US authorities said were not connected to Iran.
Wider military conflict
The killing comes amid a broader US Israeli offensive against Iran that began on February 28.
The campaign reportedly targeted key figures in Iran’s leadership, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and senior Revolutionary Guard commander Mohammad Pakpour.
Iranian state media confirmed Khamenei’s death on March 1, triggering nationwide mourning and warnings of retaliation.
The strikes have also expanded beyond Iran, with attacks linked to Iran backed groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon, raising fears of a wider regional war.
US officials say Iranian missile launches have declined in recent days as American forces establish air superiority.
Hegseth described the campaign as a major blow to Iran’s military leadership but warned the conflict is not over.
“Iran is toast and they know it,” he said, adding that operations could continue deeper inside the country.
Global reaction
The announcement drew sharply divided reactions internationally.
Supporters of Trump praised the operation as justice for the alleged assassination plot. Critics however questioned the evidence behind US claims and warned that the strikes risk escalating the conflict.
Several European allies, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, urged restraint while signaling they are prepared to defend their interests in the region.
Iranian officials condemned the strikes as acts of aggression and violations of international law.
Analysts say the death of Khamenei could create a power vacuum in Iran as the country’s Assembly of Experts begins the process of selecting a new supreme leader.
With tensions rising across the Middle East, global leaders and the United Nations have called for urgent efforts to de escalate the crisis before it expands into a wider war.
