United States President Donald Trump on Sunday said more than 48 Iranian leaders had been eliminated in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military offensive, describing the operation as highly successful.
Speaking during an interview with Fox News, Trump said the strikes had dealt a significant blow to Iran’s leadership.
“Nobody can believe the success we’re having; 48 leaders are gone in one shot. And it’s moving along rapidly,” he stated.
The military action, which began on Saturday, is aimed at dismantling the leadership structure of the Islamic Republic and weakening its military strength.
Iran has confirmed the death of its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, following the bombardments.
In a separate interview with CNBC, Trump expressed optimism about the progress of the operation.
“We’re doing our job not just for us but for the world. And everything is ahead of schedule,” he said. “Things are evolving in a very positive way right now.”
However, the interviews were conducted before the U.S. military announced its first casualties in the conflict. United States Central Command confirmed that three service members were killed, five others sustained serious injuries, and several more suffered minor wounds.
The command also disclosed that American forces sank an Iranian warship docked in the Gulf of Oman as part of the ongoing military operations.
