Trump Declares Khamenei Dead as US-Israel Strikes Expand Into Gulf, Dubai Airport Evacuated After Iranian Missile Retaliation
U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead and framed the development as a decisive turning point in the escalating Middle East conflict, asserting that the ongoing military campaign would continue as part of a broader effort to reshape regional security following joint United States and Israeli strikes on Iran.
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| Image of POTUS Trump in War Room; Via: White House |
Trump said Iranian authorities had been unable to evade U.S. and Israeli military coordination, adding that Khamenei “was unable to avoid our intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do.”
The U.S. president portrayed the moment as an opportunity for political transformation inside Iran, stating that it was “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country,” while claiming that elements within Iran’s security establishment were reconsidering their position.
According to Trump, the United States was “hearing that many of their IRGC, military, and other security and police forces no longer want to fight and are looking for immunity from us,” adding that those forces could receive protection if they laid down arms but warning that otherwise “they only get death.”
Trump said Washington expected Iranian institutions to eventually “peacefully merge with Iranian patriots” to restore national stability, arguing that recent military operations had severely damaged the country’s governing structure.
He added that “the heavy and pinpoint bombing… will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or as long as necessary,” describing the stated objective as achieving “peace throughout the Middle East and, indeed, the world.”
His remarks came amid rapidly expanding regional fallout following coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure, leadership compounds and strategic facilities.
Iranian authorities have not confirmed Khamenei’s death, and conflicting statements from Iranian officials earlier indicated senior leadership figures were alive, underscoring continuing uncertainty surrounding the situation.
The military escalation has already spread beyond Iran and Israel into the wider Gulf region. Iranian retaliatory missile and drone attacks targeted multiple locations linked to U.S. and allied interests, including incidents affecting civilian infrastructure.
Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs, suspended operations after missile threats and aerial interceptions prompted evacuations and emergency security protocols. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates issued nationwide alerts instructing residents to seek immediate shelter and remain indoors while air defenses responded to incoming projectiles.
Damage and injuries were reported in parts of Dubai, including fires triggered by falling debris from intercepted missiles, while regional airspace closures disrupted global aviation routes and stranded thousands of passengers across major transit hubs. Schools and universities across the UAE shifted temporarily to remote learning, and governments across the Gulf activated emergency preparedness measures as explosions and interceptions were reported in several cities.
The widening conflict follows Trump’s earlier announcement that U.S. forces had begun “major combat operations” aimed at eliminating what he described as imminent threats posed by Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has similarly framed the campaign as necessary to remove an existential threat, while Iran has vowed continued retaliation, warning it would defend its sovereignty against what it calls unlawful aggression.
Diplomatic reactions worldwide have reflected growing concern that the confrontation risks expanding into a broader regional war affecting energy supplies, commercial aviation and global markets.
Emergency consultations among world leaders and international institutions are ongoing as military exchanges continue across multiple theaters in West Asia.
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