Trump and Netanyahu order strikes, claim Khamenei dead
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- Trump announced on Saturday that the 86‑year‑old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed, posting the claim on social media hours after the U.S. launched a military operation against Iran.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israeli forces had struck Iran’s defense minister and the commander of the Revolutionary Guard as part of the coordinated attack.
- Iranian state media reported early Sunday that Khamenei was dead but did not specify a cause.
- Trump had dispatched special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for a fresh round of talks with Iranian officials two days before the strikes, after which Middle East and European allies urged more negotiation time.
- Trump previously rejected an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei in June, drawing a “bright red line,” but reversed that stance in Saturday’s operation.
- Trump claimed Iran is building ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States, reiterating the point in his State of the Union speech and in the Saturday announcement.
- Ali Vaez warned that the showdown could trigger an “all‑or‑nothing” struggle for the regime’s survival, potentially prompting Iran to use every tool at its disposal.
Why it matters: The strike ends months of diplomatic overtures, delivering a direct blow to Iran’s top leadership and signaling a new, more aggressive U.S. posture that could embolden allies like Israel but also risk broader escalation. It undermines the limited diplomatic progress from weeks of talks and raises the prospect of Iranian retaliation, altering the calculus for U.S. policymakers and regional actors.
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