US President Donald Trump has said Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil men in history, is dead. This is justice not only for the people of Iran, but for all the great Americans and people from many countries around the world who were killed or maimed by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty thugs,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social network.
He said it was the “one and only and biggest chance” for the Iranian people to take back their country.
“We are hearing that many in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, military and other security and police forces no longer want to fight and are seeking immunity from us. As I said last night:’ they may have immunity now, but then they will only get death! “We hope that the Quir and police will peacefully unite with Iranian patriots and work together as one to restore the country to the greatness it deserves,” Trump wrote.
He added that “intense and pinpoint strikes” will continue uninterrupted for a week “or as long as necessary to achieve our goal of peace throughout the Middle East and the world.”
As of the evening of 28 February, there was no confirmation from Tehran of the death of Iran’s 86-year-old supreme leader.
Khamenei had held near-dictatorial power over Iran since becoming supreme leader in 1989 following the death of the Islamic Republic’s founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were “many indications” that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was probably killed in Israeli-U.S. strikes. Netanyahu said in a video message on 28 February that morning strikes in Iran had killed commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as senior nuclear programme officials.
On the morning of 28 February, the Israeli military struck Iranian territory. Hours after Israel announced what it called a “pre-emptive strike”, US President Donald Trump said Washington had launched “major combat operations” against Iran.
In a video message posted on social media, Donald Trump said his goal was to “protect the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
Iranian media reported explosions in several cities, notably Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Qumi, Lorestan and Chabahar. In Tehran, the strikes targeted Iran’s top leadership.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded to the US and Israeli strikes by launching several waves of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel. Iran has also launched missiles at several Middle Eastern countries where US Armed Forces bases are located. Explosions were reported in Bahrain, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The strikes came just days after nuclear talks between the US and Iran, casting doubt on the planned continuation of talks next week in Vienna as Washington steps up its military presence in the region.