Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is wounded and likely disfigured, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said according to Reuters, questioning Khamenei’s ability to govern after nearly two weeks of US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

“We know the new so-called not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured. He put out a statement yesterday. A weak one, actually, but there was no voice and there was no video. It was a written statement,” Hegseth told a briefing.

“Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father — dead. He’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run and he lacks legitimacy.”