Supreme Leader Khamenei killed in attacks on Iran, says Trump

 Jon Gambrell, Konstantin Toropin and Josh Boak, Associated Press

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has died in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the United States, Donald Trump has said.

He claimed that his death after the aerial bombardment that targeted Iranian military and governmental sites is “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country”.

The US president also said “heavy and pinpoint bombing” is to continue “uninterrupted” through the week or longer.

Mr Trump called Mr Khamenei “one of the most evil people in history”.

He said that Mr Khamenei “was unable to avoid our intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do.”

The assassination of the leader of the Islamic Republic, who had no designated successor, has raised the prospect of a protracted conflict given Iranian threats of retaliation.

In a nationally televised address earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were “growing signs” that Mr Khamenei had been killed when Israel struck his compound early on Saturday.

Mr Khamenei succeeded Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He had the final say on all major policies, leading Iran’s clerical establishment and its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard – the two main centres of power in the country’s theocracy.

The Israeli military said the strikes also killed Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and defence minister Aziz Nasirzadeh.

Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Iranian Security Council and a close adviser to Mr Khamenei, and Mohammad Shirazi, the head of Mr Khamenei’s military bureau, were also said to have been killed.

Following the attack on targets across Iran, Mr Trump called on the Iranian people to “take over your government”.

Iranian state media, citing the Red Crescent, said at least 201 people had been killed.

The first strikes appeared to target the compound of Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader in central Tehran.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News that Mr Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are alive “as far as I know”.

The US president said in a video posted on social media: “For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted Death to America and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops and the innocent people in many, many countries.”

He urged Iranians to take cover during the strikes, but added: “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”

Girls’ school

In southern Iran, at least 85 people were reported killed after a girls’ school was struck, and dozens more were wounded, the local governor told Iranian state TV.

Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command, said he was “aware of reports” that the school was struck and they were looking into them.

The violence quickly expanded with the Revolutionary Guard saying it had responded by launching a “first wave” of drones and missiles targeting Israel, where a nationwide warning was issued as the military said it was bringing down Iranian fire.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the country “will not hesitate” in its response, adding: “The time has come to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military assault.”

Bahrain said a missile attack had targeted the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in the island kingdom, witnesses heard sirens and explosions in Kuwait, home to US Army Central, and explosions were heard in Qatar.

About 12 hours after the attacks began, the US military reported no US casualties and minimal damage at bases despite “hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks”.

It said targets in Iran included Revolutionary Guard command facilities, air defence capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.

Iraq and the United Arab Emirates closed their air space and sirens sounded in Jordan. The UAE said one person had been killed by falling shrapnel and air defence fire was seen over its commercial hub Dubai.

The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen vowed to resume attacks on Red Sea shipping routes and on Israel, according to two senior officials.

Mr Trump said the US had begun “major combat operations in Iran” after the US assembled a vast fleet of fighter jets and warships in the region to try to pressure Iran into a deal over its nuclear programme.

He claimed in the video that Tehran has continued to develop its nuclear programme and plans to develop missiles to reach the US. He acknowledged there could be American casualties in the conflict, saying “that often happens in war”.

Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, but it has blocked international inspectors from visiting the sites America bombed during a 12-day war then. Satellite photos analysed by the Associated Press have shown new activity at two of those sites, suggesting Tehran is trying to assess and potentially recover material there.

Iran has a self-imposed limit on its ballistic missile programme, limiting their range to 1,240 miles. That puts all the Middle East and some of eastern Europe in their range.

There is no public evidence of Iran seeking to have intercontinental ballistic missiles, though Washington has said its space programme could allow it to one day.

Tensions have soared in recent weeks as American warships moved into the region, and Mr Trump said he wanted a deal to constrain Iran’s nuclear programme. He saw an opportunity while the country struggles at home with growing dissent after nationwide protests.

Uranium 

Iran had hoped to avert a war but maintains it has the right to enrich uranium and does not want to discuss other issues, like its long-range missile programme or support for armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

But Mr Trump’s statement indicated the US was striking for reasons far beyond any nuclear ambitions, listing grievances stretching back to the beginning of the Islamic Republic.

Mr Netanyahu said the attack aimed to “remove an existential threat posed” by Iran.

“Our joint operation will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands,” he said.

Targets in the Israeli campaign included Iran’s military, symbols of government and intelligence targets, according to an official source.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard had vowed to respond if attacked, including saying American military personnel and bases spread across the region would be targets.

Explosions rocked Israel as the country worked to intercept incoming Iranian missiles. There was no immediate word on any damage or casualties.

Several hospitals in Israel launched emergency protocols, including moving patients and operations to underground facilities.

US embassies or consulates in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Israel posted on social media that they had told staff to shelter in place and recommended all Americans “do the same until further notice”.