Donald Trump has commented on reports Ali Khamenei may have died following US and Israeli strikes on Iran overnight. The US President spoke to NBC News tonight. When asked about reports of the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader, he said: “We feel that that is a correct story.”

Speaking on Saturday evening, Mr Trump first said he didn’t want to comment on the death of the Iranian leader, but added “the rumour is, and the word is, that he has been killed.” He also said: “He’s killed many people. He’s killed many, many people. Destroyed many lives. Destroyed many families, and he destroyed a country.”

Asked how and when he will get confirmation about the reported death, Trump said: “Well, I’ve spoken to a lot of people, beyond, and we feel certain, we feel – we feel that that is a correct story.”

Israli media have been the first to report on the possible death of the Iranian leader. Some of the country’s official have claimed his body has been found.

This comes as, over the past few hours, Iran has repeatedly denied the Ayatollah had died, claiming he was “commanding the field.”

Khamenei hasn’t been seen in public since Operation Epic Fury was launched in the early hours of Saturday by the US and Israel.

Later tonight, Mr Trump took to Truth Social to claim Khamenei had indeed died. He wrote: “Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS.

“He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do. This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.

“We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us. As I said last night, ‘Now they can have Immunity, later they only get Death!’ Hopefully, the IRGC and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves.

“That process should soon be starting in that, not only the death of Khamenei but the Country has been, in only one day, very much destroyed and, even, obliterated. The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!”

Iran has not yet confirmed the death of the country’s leader.

Earlier today, aerial pictures showed Khamenei’s compound being largely destroyed.