WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States says Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was wounded during recent Israeli strikes, raising questions about his ability to govern as the war between Iran and the U.S.-Israel alliance continues to escalate.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday that Khamenei is “wounded and likely disfigured” following an Israeli strike early in the conflict that reportedly killed several members of his family, including his father and wife. Hegseth noted that Khamenei recently issued only a written statement rather than appearing publicly, which he suggested indicates the leader’s condition may be more serious than acknowledged by Iranian officials.
Iranian authorities have disputed that characterization. An Iranian official told reporters that Khamenei was only lightly injured and remains in control of government operations, despite the intense military campaign that began after coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s missile, drone, and naval capabilities.
According to U.S. officials, American forces have struck more than 6,000 targets across Iran in the past two weeks. The Pentagon also confirmed additional military deployments to the region, including the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and its Marine expeditionary unit.
Meanwhile, Iranian drones have reportedly been detected over several Gulf nations, including Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. The conflict has also taken a toll on U.S. forces; six American service members were killed Friday when a refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during an incident involving another aircraft.
Since the war began on February 28, at least 11 U.S. troops have died as fighting across the region intensifies.
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