Iran’s Supreme Leader Killed in Joint US-Israeli Strike, New Attacks Continue

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed Saturday in coordinated U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, with Israel launching additional attacks Sunday morning. Iran has retaliated with hundreds of missiles and drones targeting U.S. forces and allied nations, while threatening to close a critical oil shipping route.

Iranian citizens are grappling with uncertainty following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in coordinated American and Israeli military operations, as Israel announced it conducted additional airstrikes against Iranian targets on Sunday.

Iranian state television confirmed the 86-year-old leader’s death on Saturday, occurring hours after Washington and Tel Aviv announced their joint assault represented the most extensive military action against Iran in recent decades.

President Donald Trump defended the Iranian operations as necessary to eliminate a long-standing regional threat and prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear capabilities, despite the action appearing to contradict his previous statements opposing American engagement in complicated international conflicts.

Sunday morning’s Israeli military operations focused on Iran’s missile defense networks and ballistic weapon facilities, according to the Israeli Defense Forces. Tehran residents reported hearing explosions throughout the capital city on Sunday.

Iran responded to Saturday’s initial assault by firing hundreds of rockets and unmanned aircraft at American military installations across the region and cities in Israel and Washington-aligned Arab nations, causing widespread airline disruptions throughout the area.

Pentagon officials reported no American casualties from the Iranian counterattack, though defense analysts warned of increased risks to U.S. personnel. A senior intelligence source informed Reuters that while military bases faced the greatest immediate danger, Iranian cyber warfare units could potentially target American infrastructure systems.

The Iranian missile barrage damaged Dubai’s main airport and the famous Burj Al Arab hotel, injuring four people. Abu Dhabi’s airport authority initially reported one death of an Asian citizen and seven injuries at Zayed International Airport before removing the social media announcement.

Tehran announced Saturday that it had blocked the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway carrying approximately 20 percent of global petroleum shipments, sparking predictions of significant oil price increases.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a Sunday statement promising their largest-ever retaliatory operation against American bases and Israeli territory.

At an emergency United Nations Security Council session Saturday, Iranian UN representative Amir Saeid Iravani stated that hundreds of civilians died and sustained injuries in the American-Israeli bombardment. Iravani characterized Iran’s military response as justified self-defense, declaring that hostile forces’ installations constitute valid military objectives.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged immediate hostility cessation and expressed regret that diplomatic opportunities had been “squandered.”

Social media footage showed Iranian citizens celebrating in Tehran, nearby Karaj, and central Isfahan following news of Khamenei’s death, though Reuters could not independently confirm the video authenticity.

Two American sources and one official revealed that Israel and the U.S. coordinated their attack timing with a high-level meeting between Khamenei and his senior advisors.

Iranian media reported that Khamenei was conducting business in his office when Saturday morning’s strike occurred. The attack also killed his daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law, according to state broadcasters.

The Revolutionary Guards released a statement mourning “a great leader,” while Trump posted on social media calling him “one of the most evil people in History.”

Both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Iranian citizens to revolt against their government following the attacks, which eliminated at least seven top military commanders according to Israeli military reports.

Regional analysts suggested that while Khamenei’s death and other leadership losses would significantly damage Iran, it might not end the established religious government or diminish Revolutionary Guard influence over the population.

Israeli military campaigns over the previous two years had already eliminated several Iranian senior officers and substantially weakened Tehran’s regional proxy organizations across the Middle East.

Following Israel’s 12-day aerial campaign against Iran in June, supported by American forces, both nations had warned of additional strikes if Iran continued its nuclear and missile development programs.

During Saturday’s Security Council meeting, Russian and Chinese diplomats condemned American and Israeli actions for attacking while Tehran engaged in negotiations with Washington. Russian UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya accused the U.S. of stabbing Iran “in the back” and challenged American justifications for preventing Iranian nuclear weapons acquisition.

Senior American officials said Saturday that recent diplomatic discussions revealed Iran’s unwillingness to abandon uranium enrichment capabilities, which Iranians claimed supported nuclear energy but U.S. officials argued would enable weapons development.