U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint strike by the United States and Israel.
The announcement comes as tensions escalate in the region, and could have significant implications for future diplomatic efforts. According to early reports, Iranian state media cited a spokesperson for Khamenei’s public relations office as accusing enemies of the country of waging psychological warfare following Israeli reports of Khamenei’s death.
Earlier Saturday morning, Trump announced the launch of a “major and ongoing combat operation” against Iran, reaffirming that Iran will never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel and the United States launched an operation against Iran to “remove the existential threat,” and called on Iranians to rise up against their government.
Several Gulf states subsequently announced temporary closures of their airspace and reported intercepting missiles over their territory.
