President of the United States, Donald Trump, on Sunday claimed that 48 Iranian leaders had been killed in ongoing US-Israeli bombardments on Iran, describing the military offensive as “very positive.”
Speaking in separate interviews with Fox News and CNBC, on Sunday, March 1, Trump said the joint operation, launched on Saturday, was achieving its objectives.
“Nobody can believe the success we’re having; 48 leaders are gone in one shot. And it’s moving along rapidly,” he was quoted as saying.
The US president also claimed overall success in the campaign, which he said was aimed at removing the Islamic Republic’s leadership and dismantling its military capabilities.
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Iran has confirmed the death of its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following the bombardments.
“We’re doing our job not just for us but for the world. And everything is ahead of schedule,” Trump said in the CNBC interview, adding that “things are evolving in a very positive way right now.”
However, the United States military later announced its first casualties since the conflict began. The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that three unidentified service members were killed, five seriously wounded and several others sustained minor injuries.
CENTCOM also disclosed that US forces sank an Iranian warship docked in the Gulf of Oman as part of the ongoing operations.
The situation remains fluid as hostilities continue, with further developments expected in the coming days.