Iran's state media confirmed Sunday that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli attacks on Saturday, reported Xinhua.
The Iranian government announced a 40-day mourning period after the report of the leader's death.
Some 40 Iranian officials were killed in the U.S.-Israeli attack on Saturday, CBS News reported, citing anonymous sources.
Fox News, citing Israeli officials, also said that Saturday's strikes killed more than 40 senior Iranian security and government figures, noting that five to 10 top Iranian leaders were killed, along with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who were meeting at a compound in Tehran.
Earlier Saturday, when announcing Khamenei's death, U.S. President Donald Trump said the massive military campaign against Iran will continue.
"The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary," Trump said in a post on social media.
Meanwhile, the death toll of a joint U.S. and Israeli strike on an elementary girls' school in Iran's southern province of Hormozgan rose to 148, semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.
The attack also left 95 people wounded, Ebrahim Taheri, local prosecutor, was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday night that a diplomatic solution in Iran remains possible and is "much easier now" following the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"Much easier now than it was a day ago, obviously," Trump said in a phone interview with CBS News, saying the attacks have been effective and could create a pathway to diplomacy.
Trump said "there are some good candidates" to lead Iran in the wake of Khamenei's death but did not elaborate.
On Iran's retaliatory response, Trump said: "It's what we expected."
"We thought it'd be double," Trump said. "Thus far, it's been less than we thought."
Earlier in the day, following the announcement of Khamenei's death, Trump said that the massive military campaign against Iran would continue.
"The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary," said Trump in a post on social media.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
