US President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed that 48 Iranian leaders have been killed in ongoing US-Israeli military strikes, describing the operation as progressing faster than expected.
“Nobody can believe the success we’re having, 48 leaders are gone in one shot. And it’s moving along rapidly,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News.
In a separate interaction with CNBC, Trump said US military operations in Iran are “ahead of schedule.”
The comments come amid intensifying hostilities following joint US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, marking a major turning point for the Islamic Republic.
The US central command said that three American service members were killed during the operation, while five others were wounded.
Tehran has since launched counterattacks across Israel and several Gulf states that host US military assets.
Explosions have been reported in multiple cities, with damage to infrastructure and disruptions to airport operations. Flights across parts of the Middle East have been suspended as governments assess the evolving security situation.
The escalation coincides with Iran beginning a formal process to appoint a successor to Khamenei, only the second leadership transition since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
While some Iranians have expressed hope for political change, analysts caution that a change in leadership does not necessarily signal a broader shift in the structure of the Islamic Republic.
The situation remains fluid, with military exchanges continuing and regional tensions running high.
