The Saudi government today says its initial investigation shows that journalist Jamal Khashoggi [photo above] "has died."

A probe involving some 18 suspects continues, and the Saudi King dismissed the kingdom's deputy intelligence chief, al-Assiri.

The Saudi prosecutor who delivered the government's findings today gave this explanation for Jamal Khashoggi's death: a heated discussion happened in the Saudi Consul in Istanbul between Jamal Khashoggi and people at the embassy who saw him. This encounter turned into a fist fight, which resulted in Khashoggi's death.

This is, of course, a lie.

Also today, King Salman dismissed MBS's closest aide, who oversees the Saudi kingdom's propaganda overseas, Saud al-Qahtani.

[Reuters] recap.

Tweets from the time the news broke, below.

THEY'RE SAYING HE FOUGHT 18 GUYS. He was a journalist. Not freaking Bruce Lee. pic.twitter.com/HOvc3yKzfe — XENI (@xeni) October 19, 2018

#breaking

• Saudi says initial investigation shows @JKhashoggi has "died"

• probe continues of 18 suspects

• Saudi king dismisses deputy intelligence chief al-Assiri.

• Saudi king dismisses MBS's closest aide, who oversees the kingdom's propaganda abroad Saud al-Qahtani pic.twitter.com/kQXiqVgNSt — Hassan Hassan (@hxhassan) October 19, 2018

#BREAKING Saudi authorities' assessment of how Jamal was killed: "discussions that took place between citizen Jamal Khashoggi & the persons who met him during his presence at the consulate in Istanbul led to a fight & quarrel by hands, which caused his death." pic.twitter.com/FBhpIyuQCv — Hassan Hassan (@hxhassan) October 19, 2018

Saudi king sacks deputy intelligence chief Ahmed Assiri and royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani — Ahmed Al Omran (@ahmed) October 19, 2018

Many questions need answers now: Where is the body? Why dismiss Qahtani & Assiri if it was just an accident? If cut off, why was the bone saw there? Why the autopsy expert? Etc The Saudi story only confirms what the Turkish authorities told us all along, without the details. — Hassan Hassan (@hxhassan) October 19, 2018

"Fist fight" was the word — Hassan Hassan (@hxhassan) October 19, 2018

BREAKING: #Saudi Prosecutor says heated discussion happened in Consul in Istanbul between Jamal #Khashoggi and people who saw him, turned into quarrel, fist fighting which led to his death https://t.co/0hgPtAZRlw — Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) October 19, 2018

HUGE: #Saudi Dismisses MBS adviser Saud Al Qahtani from position https://t.co/ZEYuaUAi97 — Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) October 19, 2018

BREAKING: New #Saudi Decrees Remove Maj. General Ahmed Assiri from Position as Deputy Chief of Intelligence and Adviser Saud Al Qahtani from Their Positions. Developing… pic.twitter.com/kviOpVvexb — The National (@TheNationalUAE) October 19, 2018

BREAKING: #Saudi Authorities confirm death of writer Jamal Khashoggi. Prosecutor announced arrest of 18 people, all are Saudis, in the case. It says death occurred after a quarrel at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Developing… pic.twitter.com/AmD5JI85mu — The National (@TheNationalUAE) October 19, 2018

this is basically "uh, he fell" https://t.co/PjYoxGrAzq — jamelle g-g-ghoulie ? (@jbouie) October 19, 2018

https://twitter.com/chrislhayes/status/1053409458808872961

The official account from Saudi Press Agency https://t.co/5H3wN2iTN5 — David Clinch (@DavidClinchNews) October 19, 2018

The timing of the Saudi announcement is fascinating…and might tell us a lot about the intended audience.

It's an AMERICAN Friday night news dump. — John Berman (@JohnBerman) October 19, 2018

Two weeks to say he died in a brawl. This needed an investigation, huh? And still no trace of his body. Reminds me of the IQ of Syrian state media: "Today we arrested two terrorists who blew themselves up." — Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss) October 19, 2018

Saudi government acknowledges journalist Jamal Khashaoggi died while in that country's consulate in Istanbul https://t.co/NvG71JIyO7 — Robert Costa (@costareports) October 19, 2018

Of course MBS has been put in charge of the investigation. Fox has keys to hen house. — Aaron David Miller (@aarondmiller2) October 19, 2018

The Saudis want you to believe a reporter in his 60s got in a fight in a consulate with more than two dozen men who were, apparently, wielding a bone saw. — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 19, 2018

Because naturally in a fight you bring out the bone saw & have the medical examiner on stand by in a consulate.#JamalKhashoogi #SaudiArabia https://t.co/ZYwjklmXyU — Farnaz Fassihi (@farnazfassihi) October 19, 2018

My extremely speculative guess, based on no special evidence or insight, is that Saudi Arabia would not release this statement if they still believed Turkey may leak recordings of the killings. Deal is maybe/probably done. — Tom Gara (@tomgara) October 19, 2018