An umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions operating in Iraq has reportedly announced a $10 million reward for the assassination of US President Donald
Trump, escalating rhetoric as military tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to intensify across the Middle East. The announcement was reported by Iran-owned Press TV, which said the reward had been collected through donations from members and supporters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. The claim has not been independently verified, and there has been no immediate response from US authorities. According to the report, the organisation described the bounty as a response to Trump's role in ordering the January 2020 drone strike near Baghdad International Airport that killed Major General Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). The group alleged that Trump had openly celebrated the killings and accused him of committing crimes against the region's resistance movement.
BREAKING 🔴
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 16, 2026
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announces in a statement a $10M reward for anyone who kills U.S. President Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/PT2Vjs5yW8
Group Links Bounty To Soleimani Killing
In its reported statement, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said the reward would be available to "anyone who kills Trump" or to any individual, organisation or institution tasked with carrying out such an operation. The group claimed Trump's actions had brought him "eternal disgrace" while elevating the legacy of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, whom it referred to as "victory commanders."
The statement further alleged that "free people of the world" would continue pursuing those responsible for the killings, while accusing the United States of violating regional stability through its military actions. The organisation linked its announcement to the renewed US-Iran conflict, claiming Washington had repeatedly breached ceasefire understandings reached earlier this year.
Rising Regional Tensions
The reported bounty comes as fighting between the United States and Iran has expanded across multiple theatres, including the Strait of Hormuz, Iraq, the Gulf and neighbouring countries hosting American military installations. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, regarded as part of the broader Axis of Resistance, has previously claimed responsibility for attacks targeting US military bases and coalition facilities across Iraq and Syria.
Separately, Kurdish security authorities confirmed that US-led coalition air defence systems intercepted eight explosive drones over Erbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region. The drones were destroyed between 8:53 pm and 9:20 pm local time, according to Kurdish counterterrorism officials, with no casualties reported.
The interceptions triggered explosions and plumes of smoke near the US Consulate in Erbil, a facility that has repeatedly faced rocket and drone attacks during previous periods of regional escalation. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attempted drone strikes.
The incidents coincided with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's visit to Washington, where he met President Trump, and came against the backdrop of renewed military exchanges between US forces and Iran. Iraq's Kurdistan region, which hosts American troops and several international energy companies, has frequently been targeted during previous rounds of confrontation involving Iran-backed militias.
While the reported assassination bounty represents a significant escalation in rhetoric, there is currently no independent confirmation regarding the authenticity of the statement beyond Iranian state-affiliated media. US officials have not publicly commented on the reported threat, and further details are awaited.
