Donald Trump has stated that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is likely still alive but may have sustained injuries during the military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury.
During an interview with Brian Kilmeade on Fox News Radio, Trump shared his thoughts about the condition of the Iranian leader.
He said, “I think he probably is. I think he’s damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form.”
Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since he assumed the position of supreme leader earlier this week after the death of his father, Ali Khamenei. The Iranian government has also not released any recent images of him.
Some reports referencing Iranian insiders claim Khamenei was injured during the February 28 airstrike that reportedly killed his father and his wife.
According to a source quoted by The Sun, Khamenei may currently be in a coma and could have lost both legs while also suffering severe internal injuries.
However, another source suggested that the cleric’s injuries were less severe, stating that he only experienced minor wounds such as a fractured foot, bruising around the eye, and facial cuts during the early wave of the attacks.
The 56-year-old leader had earlier issued a strong statement following his appointment, vowing to shut down the Strait of Hormuz and retaliate for the death of his father and others he described as martyrs.
The statement was broadcast on Iranian state television on Thursday, with an image of Khamenei displayed as a news anchor read the message.
Reacting to the statement during his appearance on The Brian Kilmeade Show, Trump said, “Well, they’ve been doing a lot of talking, so he’s going to have to put up.”
He further added, “We’ll have to see because we are decimating them. We’ve knocked out most of their missiles. We’ve knocked out many of their drones. We knocked out a lot of the manufacturing areas where they manufacture the missiles and now the drones.
“We’re hitting them harder than anybody’s been hit since World War II.”