Trump demands Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ as bombs pound Tehran and Beirut

US president again calls on Iranian people to overthrow government or face ‘absolutely guaranteed death’ Donald Trump has said only Iran’s “unconditional surrender” will bring an end to the offensive launched seven days ago, as the US and Israel carried out some of the heaviest bombardments so far in the conflict. “There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Friday, when US strategic bombers were in action over Iran and intensive Israeli strikes in Lebanon forced more than 1 million people to flee their homes. Israeli and US officials threatened further escalation as Iran retaliated with more attacks across a swathe of the Middle East. Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, said US firepower was “about to surge dramatically”, while Eyal Zamir, the Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, said Israel was moving to a new phase of its offensive that would “further dismantle the regime and its military capabilities”. Zamir said in a statement: “We have additional surprises ahead which I do not intend to disclose.” Tehran launched missiles and drones at Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, appar