The images show President Donald Trump seated at a conference table at Mar-a-Lago, wearing a white “USA” cap, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the operation unfolded. According to administration officials, the strikes targeted more than 30 Iranian government and military sites and resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The photographs depict maps of the region spread across the table, secure communications equipment in use, and senior advisers present as updates and damage assessments were received.
BREAKING: The White House has released the initial images from within Trump's Mar-a-Lago situation room, showcasing Trump overseeing the Operation Epic Fury strikes on Iran#OperationEpicFury pic.twitter.com/5R5RCXgSW3 pic.twitter.com/GqRkNrc9FF
— Sandy (@SD73660) February 28, 2026
A separate image shows Vice President J.D. Vance in the Situation Room in Washington, D.C., seated at the head of the conference table. He is joined by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and senior military officials. The vice presidential seal is visible behind them as they monitored developments in real time.
On Saturday, Fox News confirmed that Khamenei was killed in missile strikes, according to senior Israeli officials who were familiar with the damage assessments. Channel 12 in Israel reported that the Iranian leader was inside his bunker compound when it was destroyed.
The operation is said to have also eliminated several high-ranking Iranian military officials, including IRGC Commander General Mohammad Pakpour and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh.
During the operation, Trump encouraged the Iranian people to take over their government once the United States and Israel finished “major combat operations” in Iran.
The U.S. and Israel launched the joint attack just after 9 a.m. on Saturday local time in what the War Department has dubbed “Operation Epic Fury.”
In video remarks posted to social media, Trump addressed the Iranian people directly and told them to “seize control of [their] destiny.”
“The hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” Trump said. “This will be, probably, your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. No President was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a President who is giving you what you want.”
“America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force,” Trump directed at Iranians. “Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.”
Trump honed a portion of his message on empowering the people of Iran, but he also claimed the operation’s intent is to “defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” which he described as “vicious” and “very hard, terrible people.”
The president noted that while there there could be American casualties, the mission is “noble” as it is aimed at stopping a “wicked, radical dictatorship” from threatening U.S. national security interests while also destabilizing the entire Middle East.
“I do not make this statement lightly; the Iranian regime seeks to kill,” he said. “The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties, that often happens in war. But we’re doing this not for now. We’re doing it for the future, and it is a noble mission.”
Trump highlighted unsuccessful efforts to negotiate with Iran, accusing Tehran of advancing its nuclear program and labeling it “the world’s number-one state sponsor of terror.”
“It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I’ll say it again. They can never have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
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