President Donald Trump said Sunday he is willing to talk to what remains of Iran’s leadership after U.S.–Israeli airstrikes eliminated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggered a rapidly expanding regional conflict.
Trump made the comments as a second day of heavy bombing rocked Iranian cities and Tehran responded with missile attacks, rattling markets and spreading fear across the Middle East. By Monday, the conflict had widened to Lebanon, where Israel struck Hezbollah targets after the group launched missiles and drones into northern Israel in retaliation for Khamenei’s death. Because apparently chaos is Tehran’s favorite negotiation tactic.
Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, quickly rejected any notion of talks, saying Tehran would not negotiate with Washington and denying reports that officials had reached out to the Trump administration.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, told an emergency Security Council meeting that hundreds of civilians were killed or injured in the strikes and accused the U.S. and Israel of deliberately targeting civilian neighborhoods. Iranian state media reported that 165 people died in a bomb attack on a girls’ primary school in the southern city of Minab. The death toll is expected to rise after a second day of bombardment.
Khamenei, who ruled Iran since 1989, was the main target of the initial Israeli strike. U.S. reports said the CIA had been tracking him for months and alerted Israel when he gathered senior defense officials at his Tehran compound, prompting the attack.
Israeli media said the military used deception to catch Iran’s leadership off guard, including leaking misinformation about senior commanders and altering normal routines. According to Channel 12, 30 senior Iranian officials were killed within the first 30 seconds of the operation.
Trump told Fox News that 48 Iranian leaders were killed in the first two days of bombing and said nine Iranian warships had been sunk and naval headquarters destroyed. He added that possible successors to Khamenei were also eliminated early.
“The attack was so successful it knocked out most of the candidates,” Trump said. “It’s not going to be anybody we were thinking of because they are all dead.” Not exactly a long line for the job interview.
Iran’s counterstrikes have killed nine Israelis so far. U.S. forces also confirmed their first casualties: three service members killed and five injured by shrapnel. Details of where the attack occurred were not disclosed.
Iran has also targeted Gulf states hosting U.S. military bases. Airports in Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai were damaged and shut down, causing one of the worst disruptions to global aviation in years.
Despite the chaos, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said the process of selecting a new supreme leader would likely be quick, citing the urgency of what he called a war imposed by the United States and Israel.
Trump dismissed concerns that the conflict could hurt Republicans politically, insisting the U.S. economy remains strong. However, a Reuters-Ipsos poll found only about one in four Americans approve of the attack on Iran, even before higher oil prices take full effect.
While critics wring their hands, Trump made clear he is focused on results: weakening a hostile regime, protecting American lives, and keeping the pressure on. Whether Iran chooses talks or more missiles, the message from Washington is simple — strength comes first, and peace follows only when enemies finally get the point.
