World
US President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 27, 2026. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Donald Trump said Sunday that 48 Iranian leaders were killed in ongoing US-Israeli bombardments targeting Iran.
“Nobody can believe the success we're having, 48 leaders are gone in one shot. And it's moving along rapidly,” Trump was quoted as saying in an interview with Fox News.
The remarks come amid continued military operations involving the United States and Israel against Iranian targets which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several other leaders.
In a separate interview with CNBC, Trump said that “We're doing our job not just for us but for the world. And everything is ahead of schedule.” He continued, “Things are evolving in a very positive way right now, a very positive way.”
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement that Israeli forces were intensifying their offensive. “Our forces are now striking at the heart of Tehran with intense power, and this will only escalate in the days ahead,” he said, reported AFP.
“We are engaged in a campaign in which the IDF (Israeli military) is deploying its full strength as never before, to ensure our existence and our future,” Netanyahu added.
The military campaign, launched Saturday, aims to remove the leadership of Iran and dismantle its military capabilities, according to Trump. Iranian state media confirmed Sunday the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, along with IRGC Commander Mohammad Pakpour and Iran’s Defense Council chief Ali Shamkhani.
The US military also announced its first casualties since the start of the war: three unidentified service members killed, five seriously wounded.
Iran began retaliatory strikes less than three hours after the initial US and Israeli attacks, targeting sites in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and the Kurdistan Region, according to Iranian state media.
Iran has vowed retaliation for the killing of its leader, while Trump warned against further attacks, declaring: “WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”
Last updated on March 1, 2026, at 7:43 pm.
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