Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has been killed following large-scale aerial strikes launched by the United States and Israel targeting multiple locations across Iran.
The coordinated attacks hit several cities, including the capital Tehran, Isfahan, Karaj, Qom, Tabriz, Bushehr, Kermanshah and Ilam.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society said more than 200 people had been killed, with over 700 injured.
Local officials reported that one of the deadliest incidents occurred in southern Iran, where an air strike on a primary school killed at least 115 people, many of them children aged between seven and 12.
Iran responded by firing dozens of ballistic missiles toward Israel and launching strikes against US-linked targets across the region, including in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan, using missiles and drones.
An announcer on Iranian state television confirmed Khamenei’s death, describing it as “martyrdom.”
“Today, Iran, the Islamic nations and freedom seekers across the world are grieving the evil attacks by the criminal Americans and wicked Zionists,” he said.
“The martyrdom of a personality of such great stature will begin a great uprising in the fight against the world’s oppressors,” he added.
Other media sources in the country reported that several members of Khamenei’s family were killed, including his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter.
US & Israel attack despite peace deal “within reach”
Israel described the operation as a “pre-emptive attack”, while Trump confirmed the start of what he called “major combat operations” against Iranian targets.
The strikes came despite ongoing diplomatic efforts led in the past few days to avert war. Oman’s foreign minister, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, denounced the attacks and suggested Israel duped the US.
On Friday, he told CBS News that he was confident “a peace deal is within our reach,” but within hours, the US and Israel launched their strikes.
“I am dismayed,” he wrote on X. “Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined.”
“Neither the interests of the United States nor the cause of global peace are well served by this. And I pray for the innocents who will suffer. I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war.”
Israeli authorities said Iranian retaliation caused casualties after missiles penetrated air defences in areas including Tel Aviv and Beit Shemesh, leaving at least two people dead and more than 100 injured.
Trump said that Khamenei’s killing delivered justice “for the people of Iran” and “all Great Americans”.
“He [Khamenei] was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” Trump said in a post on his platform.
He said strikes would continue “as long as necessary”, framing the moment as an opportunity for political change inside Iran.
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country,” Trump added.
