Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has been confirmed killed in a joint United States and Israeli military assault, Iranian state media and senior officials announced on Sunday.
The attack, which Iranian authorities described as a coordinated US-Israeli operation, also killed several top security officials, including the leader’s close adviser Ali Shamkhani and senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iranian media further reported that Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law and grandson were among those killed.
President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the killing as “a great crime” and vowed a forceful response. In a statement issued by the presidency, Pezeshkian declared seven days of public holidays and an additional 40 days of national mourning, praising Khamenei’s “courage” and leadership.
“This great crime will never remain unanswered,” the statement read, promising that those responsible would “regret” the attack.
Iran Announces Interim Leadership
Iran’s government said an interim council, including President Pezeshkian, will oversee the country’s affairs pending the election of a new supreme leader by the Assembly of Experts. The constitution outlines a transition mechanism in the event of the supreme leader’s death, though no specific timeline was provided.
Analysts say Khamenei’s death could create a significant political vacuum, given his more than three decades at the helm of the Islamic Republic. However, Iranian officials insist that the institutional structure he built remains intact.
IRGC Claims Attacks on US Bases, Israeli Targets
The IRGC pledged revenge and announced what it described as “extensive missile and drone” attacks on Israel and 27 US military bases across the Middle East. Iranian state media reported multiple waves of retaliatory strikes targeting Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv, including the Tel Nof airbase and the army’s command headquarters.
Explosions were reported in several regional capitals, including Doha, Dubai and Tel Aviv. Air raid sirens sounded in Israel, while Jordanian defence systems reportedly intercepted missiles entering its airspace over Amman. Kuwait also reported warning sirens.
Several countries in the region shut their airspace amid the escalating exchange of fire.
Rising Casualties
Iranian state media reported that at least 201 people were killed in attacks across 24 provinces. In Minab city in southern Iran, officials said an elementary girls’ school was struck, with the death toll rising to 148 and dozens more injured.
Meanwhile, protests erupted in Tehran and other Iranian cities, with mourners taking to the streets following confirmation of Khamenei’s death. Demonstrations were also reported in Baghdad’s Green Zone, where protesters clashed with security forces.
Trump Warns Iran
US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against escalating further. In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Iran would be met “with a force that has never been seen before” if it launched major retaliatory strikes.
“Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today,” Trump wrote. “They better not do that.”
The developments mark one of the most significant escalations in Middle East tensions in recent decades, with fears growing of a wider regional conflict involving multiple states.