In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, US President Donald Trump publicly declared that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been killed following joint US–Israeli military strikes on Iranian targets. Trump called the development a historic moment and urged the people of Iran to seize the opportunity to overthrow the country’s leadership and reclaim their nation.
Trump made the announcement on social media, describing Khamenei as “one of the most evil people in history” and claiming he “was unable to avoid our intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems” alongside cooperating forces. According to Trump, other senior Iranian leaders were also killed in the operation. He framed the killing as “justice” for Iranians and others he said suffered under Khamenei’s rule and said it represents “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country.”
In his statement, Trump urged members of Iran’s security forces — including the Revolutionary Guard and other armed units — to lay down their arms and join with “Iranian Patriots,” offering conditional immunity to those who comply. He warned that they would otherwise face deadly consequences if resistance continued.
Trump also indicated that US military operations, including what he described as “heavy and pinpoint bombing,” would continue as long as necessary to achieve his stated objective of peace throughout the region.