President Donald Trump demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender" on Friday, ruling out any negotiations short of total capitulation as the U.S.-Israeli war against Tehran entered its seventh day.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER! After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before."

The statement followed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's social media post mentioning unspecified "mediation efforts" by some countries and Iran's commitment to defending its sovereignty. Trump later told Axios that surrender could mean a formal announcement or a point where Iran "can't fight any longer because they don't have anyone or anything to fight with."

The conflict began on February 28, 2026, when U.S. and Israeli forces launched nearly 900 strikes over 12 hours targeting Iran's missile infrastructure, air defenses, military sites, navy, and efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Trump announced the operation in a video statement that day, aiming to destroy Tehran's missile industry and annihilate its navy. Strikes over the weekend killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

On Friday, Israel intensified attacks, pounding Tehran and Beirut while issuing evacuation warnings in Lebanon amid operations against Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed group. The strikes displaced about 300,000 people in Lebanon, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks, including strikes on U.S. forces at Camp Buehring in Kuwait. The U.S. began evacuating citizens from the Middle East.

Casualties include several American service members, U.S. allies, and Iranian citizens. The war disrupted tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of global oil passes, pushing U.S. regular gasoline prices up 34 cents to $3.32 per gallon.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that surrender occurs when Trump determines Iran no longer threatens the U.S. and Operation Epic Fury's goals, destroying the navy, eliminating ballistic missiles, preventing nuclear weapons, and weakening proxies, are met. Trump indicated plans for regime change, expressing intent to influence the selection of Iran's next supreme leader and comparing the situation to Venezuela's transition.

Iran's Assembly of Experts is deliberating Khamenei's successor, with Mojtaba Khamenei as a front-runner, though Trump dismissed him as incompetent. Analysts expressed skepticism about finding a cooperative figure within the regime.