The U.S. and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on Saturday, with President Donald Trump confirming what he described as “major combat operations.”
He said Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed during the strikes, as his compound in Tehran was decimated.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in history, is dead,” Trump wrote on Truth Social late Saturday afternoon.
This is not only justice for the people of Iran, but for all great Americans, and those people from many countries throughout the world, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” the president added.
Trump said Khamenei was “unable to avoid” U.S. Intelligence and “highly sophisticated” tracking systems amid the strikes.
“Working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” Trump wrote. “This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country.”
He also said “the heavy and pinpoint bombing” will continue “uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!”
TEHRAN, IRAN – JANUARY 14: People hold portraits of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a mass funeral held for over 100 members of the security forces whom authorities said were killed during recent nationwide protests, on January 14, 2026 outside Tehran University in Tehran, Iran. The country has been gripped by a wave of anti-government protests and the ensuing crackdown, which rights groups say has left thousands of civilians dead. (Photo by Stringer/Getty Images)
Citing senior Israeli officials, Fox News said the strikes hit Khamenei’s compound and offices in Tehran, reducing them to rubble. The media outlet also reported that a senior Israeli security official said 40 Iranian security and regime figures were killed in the strike.
Trump called on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” and rise up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979.
“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” Trump said in a video shared on Truth Social. “This will be probably your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed Trump’s call for change in Iran. He said the military operation will create “the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands.”
“For 47 years, the Ayatollahs’ regime has chanted ‘Death to Israel,’ ‘Death to America. It has spilled our blood, murdered many Americans, and massacred its own people,” Netanyahu wrote on X.
“This murderous terrorist regime must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons that would enable it to threaten all of humanity,” he added. “The time has come for all parts of the Iranian people — the Persians, Kurds, Azeris, Baloch, and Ahwazis — to cast off the yoke of tyranny and bring freedom and peace-loving values to Iran. I call on you, citizens of Israel, to heed the instructions of the Home Front Command.”
Citing officials familiar with the situation, the Associated Press said Iran responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military installations in the region.
Iran reportedly claimed responsibility for a strike on a U.S. military base in Bahrain. According to The Washington Post, video circulating online appears to show a drone strike near a U.S. naval installation in Bahrain, with dark smoke rising near what has been identified as a radar structure.
The media outlet reported that the footage was verified, though the extent of damage and whether there were U.S. deaths remains unclear.
Trump warned that there might be U.S. casualties following the strikes in Iran, saying his administration has taken “every possible step” to minimize the risk to U.S. personnel across the region.
“Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties,” Trump said. “That often happens in war. But we’re doing this not for now. We’re doing this for the future. And it is a noble mission.”
Iranian state media, citing the Red Crescent, said more than 200 people were killed and upwards of 700 others were hurt during the attack in Iran.
At least 57 people died at a girls’ school in southern Iran, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency. The White House and the Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment, per the AP.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement, noting that Trump and members of his national security team “monitored the situation overnight” from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. She said the president also spoke to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone.
Leavitt added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio called all members of the “Gang of 8” to provide congressional notification. She said he reached and briefed seven of the eight.
“The president and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day,” Leavitt said in the statement.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that she is in “direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland.”
In a statement obtained by the National News Desk, the U.S. Secret Service said it is actively monitoring the situation in Iran and remains in close coordination with federal and local partners.
“The agency’s protective model is designed to be adaptable to meet the needs of the current security environment and ensure the continued safety of our protectees, protective sites and the surrounding communities,” the agency said.
“While we do not discuss our specific protective measures for operational security reasons, the public may notice an increased law enforcement and federal presence around U.S. Secret Service protected sites. Any temporary traffic or pedestrian impacts will be communicated by our local law enforcement partners. We appreciate the public’s continued cooperation and awareness. As always, if something appears unusual or concerning, individuals are encouraged to report it to law enforcement,” according to the statement.
The strikes mark one of the most direct and expansive U.S. military actions against Iran in decades and the second time in eight months the Trump administration has used force against the Islamic Republic.
While both Trump and Netanyahu suggested the strikes could weaken Iran’s leadership, analysts caution that regime change would be extraordinarily complex.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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