Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has been confirmed killed in a joint United States and Israeli military assault, alongside his daughter, son-in-law and grandson, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.
The attacks, which began on Saturday, also claimed the lives of several top Iranian security officials, including senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iranian authorities described the strikes as unprecedented and vowed severe retaliation.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the killing as “a great crime” and declared seven days of public mourning, in addition to a 40-day national mourning period. In a statement released by his office, Pezeshkian said the assassination “will never remain unanswered” and promised that Iran would respond with full force.
The IRGC announced it had launched what it called a sixth wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and 27 US military bases across the Middle East. Iranian state media reported explosions in Tel Aviv, Doha and Dubai, while air raid sirens sounded in Israel and Kuwait. Jordanian authorities said their air defence systems intercepted missiles that entered the airspace over Amman.
US President Donald Trump warned Iran against further escalation, saying Tehran would face a response “with a force that has never been seen before” if it intensified attacks on American interests.
Iran’s government announced the formation of an interim leadership council to oversee state affairs pending the selection of a new supreme leader by the Assembly of Experts. Analysts say the succession process could prove pivotal, given Khamenei’s 37-year tenure and his central role as head of state, commander-in-chief and the country’s highest religious authority.
Meanwhile, protests erupted in Baghdad’s Green Zone following news of Khamenei’s death, while large crowds gathered in Tehran and other Iranian cities to mourn.
Regional airspace closures were reported across several Middle Eastern countries as fears of a wider conflict intensified. Iranian state media said at least 201 people had been killed nationwide in the strikes, with casualty figures expected to rise as rescue efforts continue.
