Iran's state media has confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following a joint US-Israeli missile and airstrike campaign that began on Saturday. The confirmation came hours after former US President Donald Trump announced Khamenei's death on Truth Social, calling him 'one of the most evil people in history.'
Satellite imagery showed Khamenei's secure compound was heavily damaged in the initial barrage. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier stated there were 'many signs' Khamenei was no longer alive, and Israeli officials briefed media that his body had been recovered. Iranian media also reported the deaths of Khamenei's daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter in the strikes.
Trump stated the goal of the military campaign, named Operation Epic Fury, was regime change, writing: 'This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.' Netanyahu called on Iranians to 'flood the streets and finish the job.'
Iranian media reported 201 people killed and 747 injured in the initial attacks. Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting US military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, with reports of explosions in the UAE. Shrapnel from an Iranian missile killed one person in Abu Dhabi, and debris caused fires in Dubai.
In Israel, a 50-year-old woman was killed when a missile struck Tel Aviv, the first fatality in Israel since the war began. Around 120 people have been injured. Israel's military launched another wave of strikes against Iran's ballistic missile and air defence systems early on Sunday.
Iran's assembly of experts is expected to convene to select a new supreme leader, though analysts suggest the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) may be better positioned to consolidate power. The Iranian president, judiciary chief, and another top official will lead Iran in the transitional period. The IRGC chief and a top security adviser were also killed in the attacks.
