Trump, Katz, Larijani exchange warnings amid reports of Supreme leader death
Shafaq News- Middle East
US President Donald Trump said the joint US-Israeli military operation against Iran is progressing “very well” and will continue “as long as we want,” as Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned of “difficult days” ahead and senior Iranian official Ali Larijani vowed retaliation.
In an interview with ABC News, Trump said the strikes had caused “severe damage” and had “completely paralyzed” Iran, describing the outcome as “exactly what we wanted.” He added that the campaign would continue based on US decisions and said “many Iranian leaders” were killed, though he noted that full details were not yet available.
Trump also said the United States has a “very good idea” about Iran’s potential new leadership, without elaborating.
Separately, Katz said Israel acted to prevent what he described as “an extremist and murderous regime” from acquiring capabilities that would endanger Israel and the wider world. “We are entering difficult days of war, and we must show patience and discipline,” Katz said, stressing that the Israeli military is on high alert across all fronts.
“There is no immunity for anyone who threatens to destroy Israel, and every component of the Iranian regime is considered a target.”
The Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, warned Tel Aviv and Washington, “We will make the criminal Zionists and the dishonorable Americans regret,” he said, adding that “the brave soldiers and the great nation of Iran will deliver an unforgettable lesson to the tyrannical forces of international injustice.”
According to Axios, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli strike on Saturday,
Israel’s public broadcaster reported that Khamenei had been inside a fortified underground location at the time of the attack alongside dozens of Iranian aides and officials.
Iranian authorities did not confirm his death.
Read more: Why US–Iran talks keep failing, and why tensions persist
