BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 28. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that airstrikes had destroyed the compound of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Trend reports.
“All indications show this tyrant is no longer with us,” he said.
According to Netanyahu, the operation targeted key leadership facilities. He described the current developments as a “historic opportunity for change.”
“This is an opportunity to do something. Do not sit with your arms crossed, because this moment has come, and you will be called upon to take to the streets in large numbers, because you must complete this work and bring down and eradicate this regime,” the Israeli prime minister said.
There has been no official confirmation from the Iranian authorities regarding Khamenei’s current state.
Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East.
The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were seen as a last opportunity for a diplomatic resolution. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. On the morning of February 28, Israel and the U.S. began launching strikes on Iran from land, sea, and air.