PALM BEACH, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that 48 Iranian leaders have been killed in the US-Israeli bombardments of the country and that the offensive is “very positive”.

“Nobody can believe the success we’re having, 48 leaders are gone in one shot. And it’s moving along rapidly,” Trump was quoted as saying in an interview by Fox News.

Trump claimed overall success in the war, which he said was launched Saturday to remove the Islamic Republic’s leadership and destroy its military. Iran has confirmed the death of its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“We’re doing our job not just for us but for the world. And everything is ahead of schedule,” Trump was quoted as saying in a separate interview with CNBC.

“Things are evolving in a very positive way right now, a very positive way,” he said.

The interviews were conducted before the US military for the first time announced casualties in the war: three unidentified service members killed, five seriously wounded and several others more lightly injured.

Central Command (CENTCOM) also announced that the United States had sunk an Iranian warship at a dock in the Gulf of Oman.