US-Israeli Strikes Kill Iran's Khamenei, Limited Scope Assured

Washington Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed growing fears of a prolonged regional war on Monday, insisting that recent U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran would remain limited in scope. Speaking alongside Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, Hegseth described the operation, which began Saturday, as a targeted effort to neutralize Iran's missile capabilities, naval forces and nuclear ambitions, without aiming for full regime change.

The strikes, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by U.S. officials, involved coordinated airstrikes on Iranian missile production sites, naval headquarters and warships. According to U.S. military statements, the attacks also resulted in the deaths of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and at least 40 other senior Iranian leaders. President Donald Trump confirmed Khamenei's death in a social media post, urging ordinary Iranians to seize control of their government from remaining security forces. Trump noted that many in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and military appeared unwilling to continue fighting and could seek immunity from prosecution.

Hegseth emphasized that the U.S. and Israel had already hit hundreds of...