US President Donald Trump said early Saturday that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed during a joint US-Israeli military operation against Iran carried out hours earlier.
In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said Khamenei was unable to evade US intelligence and advanced tracking systems and was killed through “close coordination with Israel.”
“He, or the other leaders who were eliminated with him, could do nothing,” Trump wrote.
Trump addressed the Iranian public directly, describing Khamenei’s death as an opportunity for Iranians to “take back their country.”
He also claimed he had received information indicating that many members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, the army, and other security and police forces no longer wished to fight and were seeking US immunity.
“As I said last night, they can receive immunity now. Later, they will receive only death,” Trump said.
Trump added that he hoped the Revolutionary Guard and police would integrate peacefully with what he called “Iranian patriots” and work together to restore the country.
According to Trump, the Iranian people’s return to power could begin soon following Khamenei’s death, adding that Iran’s infrastructure had been “largely destroyed” in just one day.
Despite confirming Khamenei’s death, Trump said intensive and precise bombardment would continue without interruption throughout the week, or for as long as necessary, to achieve what he described as the goal of establishing peace across the Middle East and the world.