Stephen Carroll

He also reconfirmed the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and called on the country's leaders to capitulate as he outlined the reasons for the massive military intervention.

Trump's comments came as Iran sent waves of missiles at targets in multiple countries that host US military bases.

Projectiles struck buildings and killed civilians in Israel, while defences in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait intercepted incoming fire.

Trump, who won the presidency by promising not to endanger American troops in the Middle East, also addressed the death of three US service members during operations.

In a brief interview with the New York Times on Sunday, Trump said the assault on Iran could last four or five weeks.

Meanwhile, officials in Tehran yesterday said the death toll in the country was already over 200, with that figure expected to rise significantly.

As the US and Israeli bombing of Iran continues, President Trump has told ABC that his preferred candidates to lead the state were killed in the initial attack.

The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has thrown the country's future leadership into question.

Khamenei did not publicly designate a successor.

Until one is appointed, a council compromising the president and two other senior figures is carrying out the leader's duties.

Wendy Sherman, former U.S.

Deputy Secretary of State, says the Iranian regime will be extremely hard to dislodge.

Wendy Sherman's words came as it was reported that President Trump has agreed to talk to Iran's new leadership.

The Atlantic quotes a conversation with the U.S.

president in which he said they want to talk and I have agreed to talk.

So I will be talking to them without specifying who he was referring to.

Iran's national security chief, Ali Larijani.

responded on X to reports that he had reached out to Washington via Oman, saying that the country will not negotiate with the United States.

European countries were not involved with the US strikes and have scrambled to react.

The UK has since allowed the US to make use of British military bases for the specific purpose of destroying Iranian missile sites.