Trump says Iran’s leader ‘is dead’

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Truth Social Saturday that Iran‘s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed.

“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” he wrote.

“This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” the statement continued.

There has been no independent confirmation of Khamenei’s death from Iranian authorities yet.

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The statement came after the United States and Israel carried out major military strikes in Iran earlier Saturday.

In an earlier video posted to Truth Social, Trump said the “massive” operation was intended to ensure Tehran does not obtain a nuclear weapon and “eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”

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He also urged Iranians to shelter, saying “bombs will be dropping everywhere.”

The first strikes Saturday morning appeared to target areas in downtown Tehran, including locations linked to Iran’s leadership.

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Tehran responded by launching missiles at Israel, while explosions were reported in nearby Gulf Arab countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.

Iranian officials had previously warned they would strike the region if attacked.

Trump referenced Washington’s decades-long dispute with Iran, including the 1979 seizure of the U.S. embassy in Tehran, when 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days, as well as other attacks the United States has blamed on Iran since the Islamic revolution.

More to come.

– With files from Global News’s Aaron D’Andrea and The Associated Press

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