Overview
- President Donald Trump told Politico it is “time to look for new leadership in Iran,” escalating his public criticism of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
- Khamenei accused the United States and Israel of instigating unrest and, for the first time, said “several thousand” people had been killed.
- Rights groups reported thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests, with NetBlocks noting a brief restoration of connectivity before the blackout was reimposed.
- The United States and United Kingdom reduced staff at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a precaution, and Washington warned Tehran against potential attacks on U.S. bases.
- Former U.S. ambassador Dan Shapiro publicly predicted Trump may try to target Khamenei within days, a claim presented as his assessment with no confirmation from officials.