US President Donald Trump said on Saturday (February 28th) that reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in airstrikes were “correct”.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump said, “We feel like it’s the right story.
He stopped short of formally confirming the claim. There was no immediate reaction from Iran. Israeli officials later told The Associated Press that Khamenei was dead, although neither the US nor Iran issued an official confirmation.
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Iran’s retaliation is followed by strikes
The comments came after Iran launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US military bases in the region in retaliation for earlier US-Israeli strikes.
Some of the initial strikes on Iran reportedly hit areas near Khamenei’s offices. Iranian media reported that the attacks took place across the country, with smoke rising over Tehran. It was not immediately clear whether the 86-year-old leader was present.
Trump calls strikes ‘success’
The president said today’s military strikes in Iran are “already successful.”
He added: “We did massive damage. It would take them years to recover.”
Senior Management Casualty Claims
Trump said “most” of Iran’s senior leadership had been removed.
“The people who make all the decisions, most of them are gone,” he said.
He added that the leaders were killed in several waves of strikes: “There were three attacks… you know the one that was covered, but there were two other attacks that caused very heavy casualties to their leadership.”
When asked when the strikes happened, he said: “In the last 24 hours.”
Comments on the future leadership of Iran
Asked who might replace Khamenei, Trump said: “I don’t know, but at some point they’re going to call me to ask who I would like.”
He later added, “I’m just being a little sarcastic when I say that.”
Netanyahu signals mounting evidence
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were “growing signs” that Khamenei had been killed in the attacks.
Two Israeli officials later told The Associated Press that Israel had confirmed his death, although no formal announcement had been made.
