Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had reportedly died following a joint U.S.-Israel operation. However, Iranian authorities have denied this claim, and no independent confirmation has been publicly presented.

Some Israeli sources also referenced the report, while officials in Tehran rejected the information. The Israeli defense forces later released a list of other senior Iranian figures they said were affected during recent operations.

Trump said the campaign would continue “until we achieve our goals,” suggesting further actions may take place in the coming days.

Meanwhile, journalists in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel reported hearing multiple loud blasts and warning sirens, amid rising tensions across the region. These countries have been closely monitoring developments as Iran considers possible responses involving U.S. facilities and other regional sites.

Groups aligned with Iran across the Middle East issued statements condemning the recent joint actions. However, none have publicly announced direct involvement in any response. Analysts note that these organizations have faced various challenges in recent years.

A senior U.S. administration official said there were concerns Iran might be preparing a preemptive move, which factored into the timing of recent decisions. The official also said leadership in Washington believed Tehran was unlikely to scale back its nuclear enrichment activities.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will no longer travel to Israel as previously scheduled.

According to the White House, Trump held phone calls with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday. The White House later issued a notice limiting public events and press access, and Trump is not expected to appear publicly in the immediate future.