New Delhi: In a stunning escalation of tensions in the Middle East, US President Donald Trump has claimed that joint American-Israeli airstrikes have not only eliminated Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei but also decimated the regime’s second- and third-tier leadership, leaving a gaping void in Tehran’s power structure.
The strikes, dubbed ‘Operation Epic Fury’ by the Pentagon, targeted Tehran on February 28, resulting in Khamenei’s death along with four of his family members, including a daughter and grandson.
Trump, speaking to US channel ABC on Sunday, asserted, “The success of the US-Israel attack on Iran can be gauged from the fact that most candidates to take power have been killed; the second and third level leaders have also been wiped out.” He further noted the uncertainty over Khamenei’s successor, questioning who would now steer the Islamic Republic.
The operation came at a cost, with three American soldiers killed and five critically injured. In the aftermath, an interim council comprising President Masoud Pezeshkian, the judiciary chief, and senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has assumed control. Arafi, considered a potential interim leader, has yet to address the public. Iran’s constitution bars any formal Opposition challenging the supreme leader’s institution, complicating the transition.
The strikes have plunged the region into chaos, with Middle Eastern airspace shut down and 179 flights cancelled between Dubai and Doha, stranding passengers. Iran retaliated by claiming a missile strike at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and appointing Seyed Majid Ibn al-Reza as defence minister. Meanwhile, exiled figure Reza Pahlavi has drawn attention amid protests, though without explicit US backing.
As fears of a broader war mount, the Abu Dhabi BAPS Hindu temple remains closed until March 9 amid heightened threats. Trump’s bold declarations underscore the fragile state of Iran’s regime, raising global alarms over the Middle East’s stability.